Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC) has taken initiative to operate initially 10 night special bus service in the civic body area at a cost of Rs 4 crores.
Orders had been placed before the state owned South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) by Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC) for providing 10 buses for running between Asansol to Burnpur, Neamatpur, Barakar, Jamuria, Kulti, Raniganj, Chittaranjan, Sanctoria and other towns.
Bidhan Upadhyay, mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC) has stated that there has been a longtime demand for operations of night services from Asansol to several parts of the sub-division during night by passengers.
“There will be two big buses and we will provide night bus service to the people of Asansol very soon,” said Bidhan Upadhyay.
Normal bus intra-city bus service starts from 4.30 am and ends after 10 pm. Passengers depend on toto and auto-rickshaws for night service.
As soon as the buses are handed over, the night services buses will run from 6 pm to 6 am on main roads. Initially, it was decided that from Asansol railway station and on important intersections the night bus service will stop. Later, after it becomes more popular and more buses are available, then the night bus service will also be provided to lesser busy roads.
The Asansol Chamber of Commerce has welcomed this move undertaken by the civic body and said that many people travel at night these days as lifestyles and job requirements have changed and it will immensely help those passengers who need to travel at night.
Initially, the night special bus services will start between Asansol to Burnpur, Asansol to Raniganj, Asansol to Jamuria, Asansol to Barakar and Asansol to Chittaranjan, AMC sources said.