Poor transport system in Durgapur.

Poor transport system in Durgapur.

Durgapur – the fastest developing city of West Bengal is the dream child of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy . Popularly know as the Steel City and is varying its image and emerging also in the fields of medicine, information technology and education to become one of the multipurpose cities of India and is one among the first twenty fastest developing cities of our country. But the poor transport system is Lagging behind the city in many a ways. The entire city is divided in many zones and sectors and a journey from A-Zone to B-Zone, B-Zone to Bidhan Nagar or from Steel Township to MAMC or ABL or DPL Township or even to Sagarbhanga Colony has become a thing of past since the withdrawal of the intercity Bus services of the South Bengal State Transport Corporation since decades that is from the early nineties. Since then the only intercity public transport option is nothing but the Mini Buses and that too is limited within the particular zones.  Now none can travel to another zone or colony in a single bus within these short perimeters.  Even the Minibuses are plying in particular zones and do not cover all the areas of that specified areas. As a result of which the students, the aged people and the aam janata as a whole who have no vehicle of their own are the worst sufferer for this poor transport system in this shining city.

“For a fast developing city like Durgapur, public transport system deserves and demands proper attention. Being one of the fastest growing cities of west Bengal, Durgapur needs to upgrade its transport system, especially after 9 PM. Anyone reaching Durgapur by train after 9 pm has to face a lot of problem in reaching his/her destination inside the township whether it is the Steel Township or the MAMC, DPL ABL or the posh areas of City Center or in fact anywhere here. Mini Buses ceases to ply after 8 PM generally and only few in this city run till 9 pm. This is a major cause or concern and worry. The only option of hiring an auto rickshaw or a taxi and they also take full use of the situation and charges hefty sum. That too becomes double in case of womenfolk.” Says Kabita Jain who frequently visits Kolkata for her official work and returns by Coalfield Express or Agneebeena Express to Durgapur.

                “The city has a large area consisting its urban and rural areas. The main mode of public transport since decades is the Minibus. Up to the early nineties, DSTC later SBSTC used to run within the city on various routes like A, B, 8A, 8B, 8C, G, C1, C2, BQAG, GAB, Waria-Prantika & etc. People had the            option of using both the minibuses and such Govt.  Buses as their mode of transport inter township and to the Station Areas. However due to some unknown reason, these state run buses gradually started withdrawing from the roads and no such buses are available. Presently in the township areas there is no other option but the Mini Buses. People as a whole here are totally frustrated on the service of Mini Buses. Firstly they take excessive time to reach the Station Via A-Zone or B-Zone that is within a distance of hardly 15 kilometers. They wait quite a long time in various points to carry huge number of passengers. Since there is no other option they take everything as granted by the helpless people. ”- says the Official of the Durgapur Consumer Association who has written all these points to the Transport Minister, Govt of West Bengal and demonstrated severally to the local Administrative Authority on this burning problem.

                T. S. Mukherjee, President of Durgapur Consumer Forum says, “On the consequence of such poor transport services the local administration started CNG Auto services on some routes of this City. Initially they gave quite a good and satisfactory service from the pre-dawn hours. But now we see that they close down services on many routes after evening. They are much interested to ply on reserved basis and this cost a huge amount on the part of the common people. They try to avoid running on share system by which people can go easily to the destination at a very cheap rate. The Govt. also started JNURN Buses in some routes but that too withdrawn. Taxis are very costly here. They never travel on Meter rate basis. They always like to ply on contract basis rate and that too depends upon the situation and demand. We have demanded to the Ministry and the SDO to run the Inter township State Buses immediately and to ensure the services atleast up to 10.30 PM and at the same time to introduce Taxis on Meter basis. More CNG Autos to be provided in all the routes even in the outskirts also.  ”

                On the other hand the public system in the outskirt village areas like Amrai, Kururia, Kandeswar, is absolutely nil. In these advance age no buses run through these village areas. Last year DMC had introduced some CNG Auto services but that too a few in number and do not cater the demands of the huge number of people. The local people demanded many a time to run minibuses at least up to the main points of the village areas but no improvement has been made yet to this effect.

Kanchan Kumar Chatterjee.