Transportation

The counter has been set up near the main bus stand for the convenience of people who get off buses and then want to get on a train. They will no longer have to stand in a queue at the
railway station for their tickets. Unreserved tickets can now be booked three days in advance, thereby allowing people to visit the outlet well before the journey date.

The person who is authorized to sell the unreserved tickets through the computerized Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) will be known as the Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewak. According to senior SER officers, the sewak will receive Re 1 as commission for every ticket sold. This will be an incentive for the `vendor'. He may also carry on any other business at the same premises.

The sewak who opened shop on Tuesday, managed to sell tickets worth Rs 227 on the first day. He has decided to open the outlet from 4 am to tap the early morning passengers. Officers believe that this will provide an opportunity to local youth to earn an honest living with minimum investment.

"After Mecheda, we will open such outlets at Midnapore and Panskura bus stands within a week. By early 2009, counters will come up at places like Shalimar, Kharagpur, Jaleswar, Balasore, Jharsuguda, Barbil and Ranchi. We are selecting places where there is heavy rush of unreserved passengers. Passengers often complain that they missed trains due to the long queues. Now passengers can get their tickets even before reaching the station," said Soumitra Majumdar, deputy chief commercial manager (customer interaction), SER.

"Many nationalized banks have agreed to disburse soft loans of up to 95% to auto operators. Even auto manufacturers will offer a subsidy of Rs 6,000 each. Coupled with the Rs 10,000 subsidy offered by the state government, this should leave autorickshaw operators with no excuse to avoid switching to LPG," said a senior transport official.

"The court has categorically said that after March 31, 2009, only fourstroke LPG autos will be allowed in the city. So, all two-stroke autos will be automatically banned. In fact, four-stroke autos will have to eliminate the fuel pipeline so that they can never run on oil," he added.

A majority of autos (around 76% of the fleet) are two-stroke. So, these operators will have no choice but to buy new autos. The public vehicles department has stopped renewing certificates of fitness (CFs) and permits to autos. "We understand the extent of the emission problem and the government's concern. The government must sit with us and explain the terms of the loan we can take," said Citu auto union leader Kishor Ghosh.

Auto operators smell a rat in this. "The government is acting as a facilitator for selling brand new autorickshaws. Curbing emission is not their priority," alleged an auto operator.

On Tuesday, the HC rejected outright a petition by autorickshaw unions to extend the deadline beyond December 31, 2008. Most auto unions in the city are affiliated to Citu, CPM's trade union wing.

In the six months that have passed since the court first issued the scrap order, the state has done little, save a notice issued by the environment department and a few statements by transport minister Subhas Chakraborty. In a week, it has to somehow convince auto operators to junk their vehicles. And even if the government succeeds in this, it doesn't have an action plan on what to do after that.

Bangalore had faced a similar situation but it had a roadmap, which helped lessen the blow on the auto operators and facilitated a smooth switch to LPG. And Delhi had shown how a determined government could overcome opposition to do what was good for the people.

Some urban local bodies in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh,Orissa,Chhattisgarh and even Bihar have undertaken such projects. But none has responded from West Bengal yet. This despite multilateral funding agencies' keenness to fund such projects and willingness to even structure them so that they can qualify as a project that reduces green house gas (GHG) emission.

"Under Kyoto Protocol, there is a lot of scope to not only clean up cities by adopting better technologies and cleaner systems and get rewarded for doing so. Municipalities in other states have drafted and put into action a slew of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects that will earn them precious resources. If West Bengal comes forward, we will be more than eager to help out, particularly in solid waste management, waste water management and transport projects," ADB clean energy and CDM specialist Vinay Deodhar said.

Across the country, urban local bodies have bid for CDM projects that include bus rapid transit system (Indore in MP), use of bio-diesel in public transport (Coimbatore in TN, Raipur in Chhattisgarh and Bangalore and Mysore in Karnataka), composting (districts of Orissa, Rajasthan, Kerala and Bihar) setting up intercity causeways and greening of commercial places (13 districts of Orissa).

The process of land acquisition was delayed due to lack of clearance from the steering committee, which was set by the government for the proposed greenfield project. BAPL is the pro moter of the first airport city or Aerotropolis in the country in Burdwan district in association with Singapore's Changi International Airports.

An agreement was signed on February 27 for technical services. Changi International was in advanced talks with the company to take a high mi nority stake in the airport.

The train running from Howrah to Delhi would run twice a week, while the other three trains are weekly. The service would be on from October 1 to 29.

The Howrah to Delhi train that will run every Wednesday and Saturday will start from Howrah at 1:15 p.m. and reach at Delhi the next day at 11:50 a.m. It would leave for Howrah on Thursday and Sunday at 7:10 p.m. and arrive there the next day at 5:05 p.m.

The Howrah to Haridwar super fast train would start from its home station at 12:50 p.m. every Thursday to reach Haridwar the following day at 3:45 p.m. It would leave Haridwar at 12 p.m. on Saturday and would reach Howrah the next day at 3 p.m.

The Sealdah to Kathgodam train will head off for its destination at 1:45 p.m. every Saturday to reach at Kathgodam at 3:10 p.m. the next day. Its down service would start on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. to reach Sealdah at 9:15 p.m. the next day.

The other weekly train would start from Malda at 1 p.m. every Friday and it would reach at New Delhi railway station at 1:05 p.m. the next day. The train would leave New Delhi railway station at 11:45 p.m. on Saturday and reach Malda station at 1 a.m. on the third day.

Though Metro had introduced special trains in the past, this is the first time that the authorities will introduce special trains consistently for a month in the run-up to the Puja season.

According to the proposal, the base price of the AC Ist class ticket will be offered at a price equal to AC 2nd class fare of that particular train.

Similarly, the reserve price for 2AC ticket will be equal to the AC 3-Tier fare and sleeper class rate will be applicable for 3AC fare.

To begin with, only 10 to 20 per cent seats on selected trains are likely to be offered for bidding on the internet.

The auction is expected to open 48 hours before the departure time and closed two hours before the scheduled departure.

However, the scheme will not be applicable to 514 pairs of trains categorised as popular trains.

All Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains except Ajmer Shatabdi and Chennai-Bangalore Shatabdi Express are also exempted from the scheme.

"Trains with less than 60 per cent occupancy rate are considered unpopular and only those train tickets will be available for the auction," said the official. Railways expect that occupancy rate of some of its unpopular trains will go up through the auction system.

"We are launching a commercial portal and passenger interface and the auctioning facility will be part of it," said the official.

The portal will also have all customer related information including train position, timing, availability and fares.

"Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) is providing the software for the portal and tenders are being invited for it," said the official.

 The ministry has asked that a series of provisions of the Persons with Disability Act should be implemented at the earliest, and has the matter high on its agenda for the upcoming state transport ministers' meet to be held in the capital on August 6. Sections 44 and 45 of the Persons with Disability Act, 2005, call for non-discrimination in transport facilities and on the road.

"The issue will be discussed with state governments at the meeting next week and is high on priority. The ministry has already formulated a bus body code to ensure that all buses enable easy access to disabled persons. Now, we are suggesting that other measures need to be followed up as well -- like a sound signal accompanying the red light to alert visually-impaired persons, engraved pedestrian crossings and railway platform edges to assist visually-impaired persons, curb cuts and slopes in pavements for wheelchair users besides warning signals and special signage for the disabled. We have also issued advisories to all states, asking them to ensure that these measures are implemented," said an official.

The area adjacent to the station will be remodelled to ease congestion caused by the huge number of passengers of the Circular Railway, Eastern Railway and the Metro Railway. The model supplemented with proper transport facilities will help in reducing the footfall at the Sealdah station.

The detailed project report (DPR) for the system is being drawn up and the state government will acquire land in front of the existing metro station for it. A new structure will be constructed where hawkers encroaching the railway station area will be relocated.

"The state government has already spoken to hawkers, and accordingly a rehabilitation package is being worked out," said a senior transport department official.

It is only a matter of time before the ministry of road transport, highways and shipping (MoRTS) issues a notification on this, sources say. But there is still a catch in Bengal. "The state government must ensure that commercial vehicles undergo emission tests. Unless the authorities enforce mandatory tests, no emission norm, however strict, can bring about any qualitative change in the air quality," said a senior ministry official.

The National Auto Fuel Policy announced by the ministry of petroleum has also charted out a road map for gradual phasing out of old vehicles. "This mechanism has been followed worldwide. It does not discard a vehicle for its age but because of its failure to meet emission standards. In Europe, for instance, such vehicles are charged hefty penalties making it commercially unviable to run them," said auto-emission consultant Pradyut Sarkar.

RTA Barasat, along with the Bidhannagar sub-divisional administration and the Bidhannagar police, were conducting a raid at Salt Lake to nab public transport vehicles without permits or those operating with fake ones.

The operation started around 9 am. The authorities had targeted autorickshaws, buses, taxis and shuttle cars. Trouble broke out around 11am, when the raid was on at Karunamoyee island. Some shuttle car drivers alleged that the RTA officials were beating and abusing them. Auto union members also alleged that they were beaten up, and they assembled at Karunamoyee island to protest. They gheraoed the officials and police and a scuffle broke out.

Regional transport officer Chapal Banerjee was almost assaulted by the protesters, but was rescued by police. The Bidhannagar SDO later arrived at the spot and controlled the situation.

The new government in Nepal will soon approach the Indian establishment to start bus services between Kolkata and Kathmandu. Not only will this promote tourism, it will also forge closer ties between the countries, said Durgesh Man Singh, the Nepali ambassador to India. Singh, who is presently in Kolkata, said he would soon start a dialogue with Indian authorities on this issue.

According to Singh, there are many tourists, who are keen on visiting Nepal, but can’t afford flight tickets. The bus service by the Nepal Tourism Board would be aimed at them.

The diplomat said that buses were already plying between Kolkata and Dhaka and was mostly availed by Bangladeshis seeking medical treatment in Kolkata. Nepali nationals could come here for treatment as well.

The ambassador said he would soon request the Indian government for help to improve the quality of technical education in Nepal. Singh said he would be writing to the authorities of IITs and IIMs for setting up technical and management institutes in Nepal.

Singh met chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi. He also met state finance minister Asim Dasgupta, an old friend.

During his meeting with the CM and chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb, Singh requested the state government to improve roads between Kakarbhitta and Fulbari on the Indo-Bangla border as trucks to Bangladesh from Nepal ply along this road. “The road is in bad shape and transporters complain to us.”

After the "moderate" fare re-revision announced by transport minister Subhas Chakraborty on Tuesday to prevent a strike by private operators, bus fares in Kolkata are now more expensive than any other city in the country, but for Mumbai. But there will be no change in the rickety, rundown condition of the fleet.

The lion's share of the private buses in Kolkata is more than 15 years old. The owners have stubbornly resisted any attempt at modernization. Their version of upgrading is a fresh coat of paint. A national level study has shown that Kolkata's buses are the shabbiest in the entire country and have the worst passenger amenities. They are also the biggest killers on the road, accounting for 50% of fatal accidents in the city.

The minimum fare stays at Rs 4 for the first four kilometres. A hike of 50 paise to Re 1 for subsequent stages, however, ensures that passengers are deprived of the relief of unaltered fares for the first seven kilometres in the rates sanctioned by the transport department on June 30.

"We have tried to accommodate the bus owners' demands and not inconvenience the people too much... There should not be a problem for quite some time now," said transport minister Subhas Chakraborty at Writers' Buildings on Tuesday afternoon.

The department's conciliatory move came a day after 17 unions of bus owners threatened to take 24,000 buses off the road on July 10.

"Though our demands have not been fully met, we have decided to accept the revision and call off the strike," Bengal Bus Syndicate president Swarnakamal Saha told Metro.