Alarmed at the growing incidence of fatalities caused by rash driving, bus operators have demanded a strict restriction on permits for buses and minibuses and rationalisation of routes. That apart, they want the transport department also to issue permits and fix routes. At present, the public vehicles department (PVD) enjoys the sole discretion.

“Instead of a particular office, we demand that permits be issued by a special committee, comprising officials of the PVD, Calcutta Municipal Corporation, traffic police and representatives of bus operators and the public. The decision of the committee in any matter related to issuing permits and fixing routes should be final and there should not be any administrative or political interference,’’ said Swarnakamal Saha, president of Bengal Bus Syndicate.

“We have decided to submit a memorandum to transport minister Subhas Chakraborty, along with a concrete proposal in this matter,’’ Saha said.

Bus operators said the main reason behind rash driving was an excessive number of vehicles plying on overlapping routes.

“The transport department has issued permits indiscriminately, without verifying the need. If 20 buses are sufficient for the Shyambazar-Esplanade route, the government has issued 80 permits. So, the buses compete with each other for more passengers. Besides, the income of drivers and conductors depends on the income from the buses. This is the case in almost all the 250 routes,’’ Saha said.

President of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate Sadhan Das, too, felt that rash driving and competition between buses were spurred by overlapping of routes. “If permits are restricted and parallel routes reduced, rash driving will be curbed,’’ he said.

Operators agreed. “Rationalising routes is important and we have urged the government to do so without delay,’’ they said.