Janata curfew: 600 pvt buses, 10k yellow cabs to remain off roads

Kolkatans seeking to avail private transport during the ‘janata curfew’ on Sunday will be inconvenienced as around 600 private buses and more than 10,000 yellow taxis will remain off the city roads. A section of bus and taxi unions have decided to observe the self-imposed curfew on Sunday in response to the Prime Minister’s call for the ‘janata curfew’ of 14 hours.

Members of the West Bengal Bus Mini Bus Owners’ Association have already decided not to roll out their buses on Sunday. “This is a call from the government and we have decided to follow it observe a complete lockdown on that day,” said a member of the bus operators’ union.

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Considering the decision, more than 600 buses running under the association are expected to remain off the city roads on Sunday. With similar assertions, members of the Bengal Taxi Association also have decided to observe the self-imposed curfew from 11 am to 5pm on Sunday.

However, the union members will keep around 50 yellow taxis on standby for patients and other cases of emergency. Passengers wanting to avail the emergency yellow taxi services will have to dial at their helpline number-03324753505 for the commute.

The members of the West Bengal Joint Council of Bus Syndicate are yet to decide on the subject and are awaiting instructions from the state authorities.

“Till now we have not received any communication on the subject. We will take our final call on the subject according to the instructions of the state transport authorities,” said Tapan Banerjee, general secretary of the bus syndicate.

The online app-cab operators are expected to work normally with no formal communications from their union leaders. “We have left it to the drivers, if they wish to observe the self-imposed curfew or want to work like usual,” said Indranil Banerjee of West Bengal online operators’ Guild.

Similarly, authorities of Kolkata Metro Rail also are yet to take a final call on the matter. Meanwhile Indian Railways has decided that no trains will start from its originating station between 4am to 10pm on Sunday in response to the proposed janata curfew.

However trains that have started from their originating stations and are running before 4am on Sunday, will be allowed to continue their journey till their destination stations. Similarly, IRCTC has decided to keep its stations closed following the proposed selfimposed curfew.