A transport strike failed to slam the brakes on Calcutta for the first time in years on Thursday.

Although 37,000 taxis and 1,800 minibuses went off the road, life didn’t screech to a halt in a city where once the mere mention of a transport strike would keep most people home.

Under orders from a government determined to keep the city on the move, the transport department ensured that its entire fleet of 1,350 buses and 129 tramcars were on the road to foil the 24-hour strike called by the taxi and minibus unions to press for a substantial increase in fares.

For Calcuttans who woke up bracing for a mad scramble for transport reminiscent of strikes under the erstwhile Left Front regime, the availability of various travel options was a pleasant surprise.

Bank executive Sudeshna Mukherjee was among the many who had not expected to find a bus to reach her Clive Row office from Ultadanga. She had planned to take an autorickshaw to Sovabazar Metro station, board a train to Central and then walk a kilometre to her office.

“I couldn’t believe my luck after stepping out of home in the morning. As soon as I reached the main road, I saw a BBD Bag-bound bus and promptly boarded it. The travel time was barely 35 minutes and I was spared the trouble of travelling by auto, taking the Metro and then walking,” Sudeshna said.

The strategy to combat the strike was finalised at Writers’ Buildings early on Wednesday. First on the chopping block were all leave applications for the day. The message to every government employee was: report for duty without fail and on time. Word also went out to the state-run transport units to deploy their buses in “full strength”.

By 6.30am on Thursday, the entire state-owned fleet was out on the road. The line-up included vehicles due for repairs.

By the end of its first shift at 10am, the Calcutta Tramways Company had operated 129 trams, 50 more than on a normal weekday. In the second shift, it ran 123 trams.

At the airport, which along with railway stations bear the brunt of any transport strike, the fleet of Volvo buses, radio cabs and assorted cars for hire saved the day for fliers.

Volvo buses left the airport every 15 minutes alternatively for Esplanade and Howrah. “Normally, six buses operate simultaneously. Today, we had 10 on the road,” an official of the West Bengal State Transport Corporation said.

A survey by the transport department a couple of years ago had shown that close to 30 per cent of the buses lie idle in the depots on weekdays. On Thursday, the depot managers ensured that these buses were ferrying passengers.

Under Left Front rule, the transport department would do little to foil a bus and taxi strike, especially when Citu and its affiliates were involved. Thursday saw the department talk and act tough.

“The strike was uncalled for and largely unsuccessful. We are still willing to talk to the operators, but we won’t hike fares at this stage. We don’t think it is necessary,” transport minister Subrata Bakshi said at Writers’.

Did you spot a difference in Thursday’s transport strike? Tell ttmetro@abpmail.com