Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: After coming to power, the new BJP government has introduced the historic facility of free travel on government buses for women in West Bengal, fulfilling its election promise. But amidst this great facility, serious and sensational allegations have started coming to light one after another regarding government bus services across the state. The state is now in a state of turmoil due to allegations that even though women are standing at the bus stop, government buses are not stopping even though they are empty and are leaving them behind.
State Transport Minister Arjun Singh has now issued a strong warning about this extreme inefficiency. He gave a strong message on this issue from Nabanna on Thursday (September 3). Numerous complaints have been received in the transport department that conductors and drivers are consciously avoiding women passengers because they are allowed to travel for free. Expressing strong anger over this harassment of women passengers, Transport Minister Arjun Singh has issued a stern warning to the drivers and conductors. He clearly stated that if any government bus does not stop at the stop even after seeing women passengers, immediate departmental and disciplinary action will be taken against the concerned driver and conductor. Along with this, the Transport Minister made a big announcement to the common women, saying, "You will not have to endure any more suffering. If the bus does not stop or any employee misbehaves, you can directly call the government control room that is open for 24 hours and file a complaint. Strict action will be taken against that bus as soon as the complaint is received." According to sources in the Transport Department, this mega project of providing free bus service to women is being directly supervised by the Chief Minister herself. Therefore, Nabanna will not tolerate such negligence or non-cooperation on the part of a section of the employees in this people-oriented project. After this stern message from the Minister and the decision to open a 24-hour control room, it is believed that the common women passengers will get some relief.