Waterlogging, potholes stall Kolkata buses; BS-6 repairs cost up to ₹6,000, operators hit hard

Waterlogging and pothole-ridden roads have disrupted private bus operations across several parts of Kolkata, causing mechanical failures and forcing operators to reduce services. Several key stretches, including Belghoria Expressway between Dunlop and Jessore Road, VIP Road near Haldiram, EM Bypass between Parama Island and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, and Kona Expressway, are filled with deep potholes, making them difficult for buses to navigate.

According to bus owners, BS-6 vehicles are particularly affected due to the presence of advanced sensors. “Some BS-6 buses have various sensors, including those for the accelerator and engine box. If water seeps in, these sensors stop functioning and the buses have to be sent to workshops,” said Pradip Narayan Bose, General Secretary of the West Bengal Bus and Minibus Owners Association.

Several operators reported that low-engine buses equipped with sensors broke down on VIP Road and EM Bypass due to water entering the engine compartment. Repairing a single sensor reportedly costs around ₹5,000. Additional mechanical replacements, such as spring plates and brake shoes, also cost nearly ₹5,000 each, adding to the overall burden.

Bose added that on the Bally–Karunamoyee route, at least 7 out of 24 buses had to be withdrawn on Friday due to mechanical faults and were sent for repairs. In addition to mechanical damage, traffic congestion caused by bad roads has increased travel time. One-way journeys are now taking over 90 minutes, leading to increased fuel consumption.

Rahul Chatterjee, Secretary of the Bus Minibus Coordination Committee, said, “When the number of trips drops, owners become hesitant to deploy their full fleet for daily operations. Overhauling costs have also risen. Just changing grease costs around ₹6,000.”