Protesting a state government order to ban all transportation vehicles that are over 15 years old, private bus and taxi companies have declared an indefinite strike beginning from Friday.
State Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty has considered requisitioning tucks and other goods vehicles to aid commuters in getting to and from work. Mr. Chakraborty is scheduled to hold a meeting with transport operators at Netaji Indoor Stadium Thursday evening in a bid to resolve the issue.
As a result of the strike, some 12,000 buses, 4,500 minibuses, and 42,000 taxis will disappear from roads.
The High Court order banning all 15-year-old commercial vehicles from the Kolkata metropolitan area would come into force from August 1st. This date comes after a previous deferment of the phase-out schedule in response to the transport lobby’s protests.