As fuel prices are seeing new highs every day, the private buses in the city are going off the roads, leaving commuters stranded at bus stops for hours. The private bus operators in Kolkata who were already jittery about rolling out their vehicles without a hike in the existing fare chart are now confronted with a new problem.

While the two months’ long lockdown had caused huge losses, soaring fuel prices have come like a nail in the coffin, claim the private bus and mini bus operators. The organisations that had trundled their buses after several requests from the state government and were continuing to ply their vehicles at the existing fare, have now started withdrawing their fleet from the city roads.

Those operating, are rolling out a diminished fleet with buses cut down by more than half in number in the last few days. In North Kolkata, only 25 per cent buses of West Bengal Bus Minibus Owners’ Association operated along various routes today. According to Pradeep Narayan Bose, secretary of West Bengal Bus Minibus Owners’ Association, several buses have been withdrawn from services owing to hike in the fuel prices.

Among routes in which buses have been withdrawn are 180, 185 and Nimta Mini.

The situation is worse in South Kolkata where numerous buses have been stopped from plying due to hike in diesel prices. In South Kolkata, buses are reducing considerably in number every day.

According to Swapan Ghosh, joint secretary of the Minibus Operators Coordination Committee, buses have stopped plying in route number 106 in which around 12 vehicles had hit the roads during Unlock 1.0. Similarly, buses in route number 107 that was restarted with 15 vehicles, remained off the roads today. In route numbers, 101, 108, 131 and KS1, the size of the fleet has been reduced to less than half the original, in the last few days.

“The cost of operations of a bus per day has been increased by rupees 300,” informed the joint secretary.

“At a time when we are unable to earn rupees 300 per day, how will it be possible to bear cost escalations of rupees 300 per day at the existing fare chart. Finding no options, several operators are forced to withdraw buses from the city roads,” he added.