The First Ever ‘Ladies Special’ Bus Service Introduced by the State Government – GetBengal story
The times are changing, and sometimes they change for the worse, with atrocities against women making headlines over and over again. From the Nirbhaya brutal gang rape case in a moving bus in Delhi to the Abhaya rape case in Kolkata, women's safety has now become the top priority in the minds of everyone. Young girls are being taught defence tactics to fight against perpetrators of such violence. Keeping women's safety in mind and with an aim to ensure the safety of women who regularly travel in buses, the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) is launching 'Ladies Special Bus' services before Durga Puja.
The announcement was made after a meeting of board members at the State Guest House, Siliguri, this Thursday. Partha Pratim Roy, the chairman of NBSTC, outlined various measures to improve passenger services. The service will commence after Vishwakarma Puja. Initially, the Ladies Only buses will operate on three routes: Siliguri to Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar to Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar to Dinhata. Every bus will have forty seats, a female conductor, and hopefully a female driver in the future. The buses will mostly operate during business hours. There will be a minimum of four seats set aside just for women on other NBSTC-operated buses.
"We have started operating these women's customised buses on three routes. We plan to introduce these vehicles on additional routes in the future," Roy stated. In addition, he made plans to launch a number of other services, such as electric bus services, by 2025. CCTV cameras will be installed on long-distance buses travelling to Nepal and Assam to improve security. Rs 25 lakh has been set aside for this purpose.
NBSTC plans to purchase 12 new rocket buses—six AC and six non-AC—to further update its fleets. Three of the AC buses would go from Siliguri to Kolkata, while the other three will operate from Cooch Behar. The buses are scheduled to debut on September 18. Thirty CNG buses will also be bought. On October 3, a new bus route from Delo, Kalimpong, to Siliguri will begin. In the future, bus services to Bangladesh and Bhutan will also begin.
A similar venture was taken up in Kolkata a few months ago. The West Bengal Transport Department launched two exclusive ladies’ special buses in Kolkata to enhance women's safety and comfort during office hours. The non-AC buses are managed by women conductors and operate from Howrah Station to Ballygunge, coordinated with the arrival time of ladies’ special trains. The West Bengal Transport Department enhanced the safety and comfort of women commuters by introducing these exclusive ladies’ special buses in Kolkata in June. These buses run from Howrah Station towards Ballygunge, covering areas of central and south Kolkata. As a vital link from the terminal station to workplaces along the route during morning rush hour, the program seeks to support commuters from districts along the Howrah-Bandel line. The non-AC buses depart from Howrah at 9.30 am and 10 am. With women conductors on board, these buses regulate boarding to prevent overcrowding and to ensure that only women board this bus. Timings have been meticulously coordinated with the arrival of ladies’ special trains on the Howrah-Burdwan line of Eastern Railway and the Howrah-Kharagpur line of South-Eastern Railway.
To discourage non-compliant passengers, a sign that says "Ladies Special" will be prominently placed on route boards. Initially introducing two buses, the department may consider expanding the fleet if required. Plans are also in place to introduce similar services from Sealdah station for women commuters. Discussions are underway to extend the Howrah-Ballygunge ladies’ special bus service to afternoon rush hours.
Tapan Bandyopadhyay from the Joint Council of Bus Syndicate welcomed the initiatives. The daily commuters were especially happy with these new Ladies’ Special buses.
