A bus route has been launched from New Town to Howrah via Sealdah that is expected to ply 16 times a day.
Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC) started bus route S12E on July 18. The route is Hiland Willows (near Eco Urban Village), Malancha More, Kadampukur, Aliah University, Eco Space, Narkelbagan, New Town bus terminus, DLF More, Technopolis (in Sector V), College More, Techno India/ Wipro, Tank 16 (Salt Lake), Panchayat Bhavan, KB-KC Block, Beleghata Crossing/ Paribesh Bhavan, Rashmoni Bazar, Canal Bridge, Sealdah, Moulali, Subodh Mallik Square, Esplanade, BBD Bagh, Howrah Bridge east and finally Howrah station.
The minimum fare on this non-AC bus is Rs 7 and maximum is Rs 14.
The only other bus reaching this end of New Town’s Action Area II B is the ST-15, launched some months back. It goes up to Ultadanga via Chingrihata. An auto stand has come up here to fill the void but residents complain that, backed by syndicates, the auto drivers are rude, overcharge and do not budge before stuffing in six passengers.
The other complexes on this stretch include Sunrise Symphony, Mallika Malancha, Anahita and Sunny Fort.
“While many residents of these complexes have private cars, one also has to think of their MIG and LIG residents. How would domestic helps, security guards and tuition teachers reach us without public transport?” says Stuti Sarkar, a resident of Hiland Willows who says she has been in talks with the transport department for a year and a half to get this bus route sanctioned. “This area often has phone network problems too, in which case we can’t even book app cabs.”
The buses are expected to make 16 trips between 5am and 9.30pm although the exact timings will get regularised after about a week of operations. On Tuesday the first bus took off at 9.40am.
However, despite the name “Hiland Willows” on the route, the bus wasn’t able to ply till there due to lack of space to make a U-turn in front of the complex. So the bus only went up till Eco Urban Village. “There is a vacant plot opposite Hiland Willows that is in danger of getting encroached. We are now appealing to Hidco to turn that into a bus terminus so buses have space to park and turn and we are spared of encroachers,” added Sarkar.
