The state government wants to run more buses on EM Byass and has sought the Kolkata Police’s opinion on whether it will pose challenges in traffic management.

On Friday, senior transport department officials and city police officers discussed the challenges that may arise if more buses are allowed on the Bypass.

“The legalities of this decision were discussed, and a final decision would be made after we get feedback from the police,” transport secretary Saumitra Mohan said.

A state government notification issued on February 11, 2005, had imposed restrictions on the “plying of state carriage buses” through the Bypass from the Hudco crossing in Ultadanga to the Garia station road-EM Bypass crossing.

The notification said the number of buses plying on the Bypass would be restricted to the permits issued by the regional transport authorities.

The permits would be granted for “stage carriage or contract carriage,” the notification said.

“Only the regional transport authorities of North and South 24-Parganas and Howrah could issue permits to buses to ply through the Bypass, and not the state transport authority (STA), which issues permits for buses across the state,” a senior transport department official said.

“We want to do away with this notification and make new provisions wherein the STA would be empowered to issue bus permits on the Bypass,” said the official.

The number of passengers depending on private and state-run buses for daily commute through the Bypass has grown exponentially over the last two decades, with a significant number using the thoroughfare to reach Sector V.

Senior police officers said the count of vehicles on the Bypass grew even more since the pandemic, particularly two-wheelers and private cars.

A section of daily commuters complained about a lack of enough buses on the Bypass.

“The existing number of buses on the Bypass isn’t prepared to handle the peak hour rush. We need more buses on different routes connecting Sector V, Airport, Thakurpukur and Garia,” said Anuradha Sengupta, an IT sector employee from Kasba said.

Transport department officials said the Bypass’s vehicle capacity will increase once the New Garia-Airport metro becomes operational. “Police shouldn’t face many challenges if more buses are allowed to ply along the Bypass.”