Latest news with #SaumitraMohan
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bengal gears up to foil general strike on Wed
1 2 3 Kolkata: Bengal govt is pulling out all the stops to foil the general strike called by 10 central trade unions and their affiliates on July 9 against Centre's "anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies". In a notification issued by transport secretary Saumitra Mohan, the state govt has urged all public and private transport operators, including state transport undertakings (STUs), to operate normal services on that day. Railway authorities — including Eastern, Southeastern, North Frontier and Metro — have been requested to run all train services without disruption for the convenience of commuters. The state transport department will deploy additional buses and ferries and control rooms are being set up. All leaves of drivers, conductors and other staff have been cancelled. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Meanwhile, private transport bodies announced on Monday that a sufficient number of private buses, taxis and autos will operate. Control rooms will be operational from 6am on Wednesday. The helpline numbers are: 033-2236-1916/0462/0463 and 8697733391. The state govt also announced that in each shift, 500 CSTC, 200 CTC and 70 WBSTC buses will be on the roads. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Most buses will operate in two or three shifts. Additionally, 25 ferries and two trams will be in service. Bengal chief secretary Manoj Pant has held meetings with DGP Rajeev Kumar, senior officials and DMs so that normalcy is not affected in any way and roads are not blocked. Bengal govt also made it clear that it will be mandatory for all state govt offices to remain open on Wednesday. All employees are expected to report for duty on July 9, and no leave — casual, half-day or full-day — will be granted unless covered under specific exceptions. The notification made it clear that any absence on July 9 will be treated as 'dies-non' (unauthorised absence with no salary), unless for personal or medical emergency. AIBEA, AIBOA and BEFI decided to join the all-India general strike on July 9, keeping banks shut. Other constituents of UFBU in the banking industry have also extended their moral support to this strike, AIBEA president Rajen Nagar said. Former SUCI MLA Tarun Naskar and general secretary of All India Save Education Committee said one of their issues was to scrap the National Education Policy, so they extended their support to the strike. Chandidas Bhattacharya, state secretary of SUCI, said its trade union AIUTUC would be actively involved in the strike.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
West Bengal transport department streamlines permit process to improve public transport efficiency
KOLKATA: The transport department is streamlining the permit process to ensure smoother public transport services. The move comes in response to legal challenges and operational delays arising from the current permit system and aims to improve the overall efficiency of public transport. According to the notification, the State Transport Authority (STA) will now have the power to issue stage carriage (bus) permits for routes covering three or more districts. This decision follows a resolution adopted at the STA Board Meeting held on April 28, 2023. Previously, under Rule 87 of the West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules (WBMVR), 1989, Regional Transport Authorities (RTAs) were authorised to issue permits for routes spanning up to two regions. A 2013 govt order (No. 765-WT) provisionally extended this authority to three districts, but implementation was hindered by administrative complexities and delays—particularly the difficulty of convening mandatory joint RTA conferences chaired by District Magistrates. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Transport operators reportedly faced significant hurdles in securing permits within reasonable timeframes, affecting the availability and expansion of bus services. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The latest directive seeks to address this by allowing applicants to approach either the concerned RTA or the STA, depending on the nature and alignment of the proposed route. Transport secretary Saumitra Mohan, who signed the notification, stated that the move is aimed at ensuring a steady addition of operable buses and minimising service disruptions for daily commuters. The order has also been sent for publication in the Official Gazette.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Physical document check must for vehicle ownership transfer in Bengal
Kolkata: The state Transport Department issued fresh directives mandating vehicle owners to physically confirm ownership transfer before a designated official. The move is aimed at tightening regulations around the resale of used vehicles and curb unauthorised transactions. Dedicated counters at Motor Vehicle offices will operate every first working day of the week for this purpose, though confirmations may also be made on any other working day during office hours. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The fresh directive mandates stricter compliance with the Central Motor Vehicles (Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Rules, 2022. Highlighting the legal responsibility of vehicle owners under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the department has now made it mandatory for vehicle owners to verify the credentials of used car dealers before handing over their vehicles. The fresh directives outline the key requirements, including (a) verification of dealer authorisation: before transfer, vehicle owners must verify Form-29B under Rule-55A to ensure the dealer is authorised to handle used cars. (b) Record retention: owners must collect and retain a copy of Form-29C under Rule-55B at the time of handing over the vehicle and documents. (c) Dealer obligations: dealers must apply electronically for authorisation through Form-29A and strictly comply with the provisions of the department's earlier order dated March 29, 2023. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Get stunning home interiors at HomeLane. HomeLane Get Quote Undo The official date of ownership transfer will be reckoned from the date of confirmation by the original owner, reinforcing the need for timely compliance. From the date of taking possession to the date of resale, all statutory liabilities, including taxes, must be cleared by the dealer. Dealers must also ensure that the registered owner has cleared all dues up to the date of transfer confirmation. Recently, some vehicles, which changed multiple hands without changing the ownership, were widely used for committing crimes. The new guidelines, through an official notification issued by transport secretary, Saumitra Mohan, come in the wake of reports indicating widespread non-compliance among registered vehicle dealers and online resale platforms.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Buses threaten 3-day strike after talks with state fail
1 2 Kolkata: The meeting between the Bengal transport department and five major private bus operators ' associations failed to resolve an ongoing stand-off on Monday, as the associations confirmed they would proceed with a three-day statewide strike of stage carriage buses starting May 22. Despite several meetings with senior transport officials, including transport secretary Saumitra Mohan, the associations, united under the banner Besarkari Jatri Paribahan Banchao Committee , remained firm on their decision to protest. Their demands include a two-year extension for buses over 15 years old and an end to what they allege is persistent police harassment over traffic violations, and fare revision. "It is unfortunate that the bus operators decided to continue with the strike. Our govt is sympathetic to their demands, and many issues are under review. A strike is not a solution — it only causes immense inconvenience to the public," said state transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty. If the strike happens, over 2,000 buses will go off the roads. Chakraborty said the govt will deploy its full fleet of public transport and ensure that buses not participating in the strike are not forcibly stopped. "We will take legal action against any coercive tactic. We hope the associations will reconsider and call off the strike." However, association leaders indicated no breakthrough was in sight. P N Bose, spokesperson for the Inter and Intra Region Bus Association, expressed cautious optimism, saying, "Let's hope against hope." Tapan Banerjee , secretary of Joint Council of Bus Syndicates, cited severe financial distress in the sector. "Private bus operators are yet to recover from Covid-era losses. The govt hasn't offered a viable financial package. On top of that, false traffic violations and heavy fines are hurting us." He also noted that a letter was sent to the Chief Minister's Office seeking inter-vention but has received no response yet. Currently, approximately 3,500 private buses operate in Kolkata and surrounding areas, while 27,000 ply statewide. The transport community remains divided on the strike. Titu Saha, secretary of City Suburban Bus Service, said, "We neither support nor oppose the strike. Our buses will run. We don't want commuters to suffer. While many demands are valid, cutting off dialogue through a strike is counterproductive."
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Public transport operators in Bengal to go on three-day strike; allege police excesses, stringent govt directives
Several transport operators' associations across the State have collectively called for a 72-hour strike starting May 22, alleging the government's 'unsatisfactory' response to their grievances against 'police oppression' and stringent government directives. The strike will prevail between May 22 and May 24. It was called primarily by bus operators' associations of the State. Representatives of transport operators' associations met with transport secretary Saumitra Mohan multiple times and reportedly for the last time on Tuesday, before calling the strike their 'last resort'. Their demands include an end to alleged police excesses and relaxation of certain directives surrounding vehicle fitness. 'This has become a fight for survival now, with the police torture and the government's Sanjog Portal. It will no longer be possible for us to feed our families or educate our children,' Sandip Sengupta, secretary of the Minibus Operators Coordination Committee, told local mediapersons after they met with government authorities on Tuesday. Sanjog Portal is a unified e-challan system recently put in place by the West Bengal government for online resolution of traffic violation cases and fine payments. Public transport operators have been protesting against the transport department's recent directive mandating the use of the Sanjog Portal. They have accused traffic police personnel and civic volunteers of imposing arbitrary fines, citing this as an additional financial burden over increasing operational costs. The State transport department also directed that no fitness or pollution certificates would be issued to vehicles with unresolved violation cases, adding to the transport owners' woes. 'We had a virtual meeting today. But we did not get a satisfactory response from them. They said they will look into the matter. We did not receive anything concrete regarding our demands, which is why we are compelled to bring our services to a halt on May 22, May 23 and May 24. We can't operate under such oppression by the police, and with the Sanjog Portal directive,' Pradip Narayan Basu, secretary of the West Bengal Bus Minibus Owners' Association, said. Several representatives who met the transport secretary, including Mr Basu, said on Tuesday that the Chief Minister's intervention is their 'last hope to keep public transport operational'.
