The West Bengal government to launch electric buses in Calcutta to bring down air pollution

In order to reduce air pollution, the government of West Bengal plans to launch nearly 1,200 electric buses in Calcutta over the next two years, some of these will be operational by January 2023. The transport department also plans to introduce CNG-run buses in the northern and western parts of the state. An official of the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) says - "The department will introduce 1,180 buses to be run by the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) within the Calcutta municipal area over the next two years. Out of these, 400 buses will hit the streets by January next year.” Environmental activist Subhas Dutta described it as a "good start." He said that it is a positive step and added that the electric buses will definitely reduce carbon emission. Bengal to launch more electric, CNG buses to reduce air pollution. Right now, some electric buses operate in the eastern metropolis. These had been acquired under the capex (capital expenditure) model the WBTC procured the vehicles and has been operating these on its own.

An official of the WBTC mentioned that another 50 electric buses are being bought for Salt Lake and New Town areas adjoining Calcutta. Of these, 11 are already operational. He added that - "The new buses are being acquired under the opex (operating expenditure) model and an agency will provide the electric buses. The agency will be the owner of the vehicles. The length of some of the buses will be 12-metre, others will be eight-metre long. WBTC will pay the company on a kilometre-running basis. The firm will provide the buses and WBTC will provide the conductors. Two other state transport undertakings (STUs) will acquire the new CNG-run buses. These are the South Bengal State Transport Corporation and the North Bengal State Transport Corporation.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Two explosions rocked the capital of Somalia and left at least 100 dead and 300 injured

Horror at Halloween in Seoul – stampede takes more than 150 lives

Chhath puja is a four-day festival for women of Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and parts of Odisha and Nepal

Health of Tuan Tuan, a male panda gifted by China to Taiwan, deteriorating

Storm Nalgae strikes the Philippines and leaves at least 72 dead

Spare is the title of Prince Harry’s 416-page memoir, publishers Penguin Random House

Tata and Airbus joint venture to make C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force

Climate change a matter of concern for the security of Britain

The United States, Japan and South Korea warn North Korea about serious consequences of any nuclear test

Independence of India – I was there on that day

Yes, I was present on 15th of August 1947. It was the Independence Day of India and I was a three-year old child at the time. On this, the 75th Independence Day, I still remember how people enjoyed the occasion. At that time, I stayed with my parents and younger brother in Belgachhia. It was in North Calcutta and my father owned a lorry. He with two of his friends had a business of sorts. They used to transport coal from the coalfields and distribute them to the local dealers. They had a very trusted driver who was a Muslim and played a crucial role. It was a period of unrest with riots between the two communities prior to the partition of Bengal. The driver would ensure that the lorry with my father and his friends would move out safely through sensitive spots. He carried a change of clothes in the lorry and the occupants wore them, as necessary, to avoid any local problems. These are what my father told me much later when I could understand the intricacies.

Anyway – to come back to details of 15th of August 1947. It was raining and I was in the lorry. It was crowded and my parents were there as were the families of his partners. There were many others and the, lorry was crowded as were the roads. They were jam packed with people who carried the Indian flag and shouted slogans of Bharat Mata ki jai. There were also lines of vehicles and all of them were moving at a snail’s pace in one direction. All of them wanted to see the huge statue of Bharat Mata that a shop in College Street had put up. The shop was a landmark. It sold readymade clothes and the statue was enclosed in a glass case on the first floor and visible from the road. It was still there in the 1960s when I used to travel to my school in Bowbazar Street and college in Park Street. I do not know if it is still there.

Some popular stories in this and related sites –

Sister of Kim Jong-un reveals her brother had ‘fever’ during the Covid pandemic

Accident in Legoland Park in Germany leaves at least 34 people injured

Taiwan readies its army to counter military exercises by China

Prince William to visit Boston for second annual Earthshot Prize

Floods in Seoul take lives, paralyzes the city – another instance of climate crisis

Assets and properties of 19 TMC leaders including some ministers under scanner

Bali converts Boeing aircraft to tourist destination and Singapore Airlines converted Airbus into restaurant

Pomp and glamour in Durga Puja in Bengal

Preparations for Durga Puja 2022

Nancy Pelosi visits South Korea after Taiwan during her Asian tour

The man who inspired me to write

This is the second unforgettable character in my life …

He was the person who encouraged me to write stories. The Editor of a mystery magazine, his was a one man show. His printing press was bang on the main road just opposite Scottish Church College in Calcutta. I had sent him a story and he published it – it generated a few fan mails which he forwarded to me. That was an inspiration to do better. I did just that – this gentleman and his readers got to like my writings so much that I became one of his band of regular writers. Practically every other month, there would be my story – in the initial stages, it would be at the end of the magazine, and gradually I moved up to the front and even made it to the Puja special issue. That was an achievement because the Puja specials publish only the best of the lot.

Therefore, when I went to meet him in person, I was in for a surprise. I found him in his printing press correcting the proofs – his composer was composing the pages. He welcomed me and as we conversed, his pen kept making those squiggles that convey the meaning to the composer but that appears to be just squiggles to you and me. When he finished, he invited me to come with him to his house. I agreed and walked with him to his one room palace. It was in a narrow lane, a downstairs dark, dingy room with a window for ventilation. He was a bachelor, did his own cooking and had a cat for company. The cooking was passable – after lunch and a bit of rest, we left. The destination was College Street coffee house, the objective was to meet his friends who are into writing and publication.
We maintained a long relationship and due to his encouragement, I moved from mystery short stories to novelettes and even novels – he accommodated these in his special issues. However, one fine day, he wrote to me lamenting that his days are over. The sales were falling, he was unable to break even – there was a spate of newcomers who followed unscrupulous methods. He decided to wind up the magazine. I tried to console him – but my letters remained unanswered. When I visited Calcutta the next time, I went to his house – there was a lock on the door. The neighbors were new and they did not know where he had gone.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Barack Obama enters the league of top US Presidents with ranking of 12

Public tours of the White House will begin again from March 7

Explosion in French nuclear power plant in a non-nuclear zone


Didi caught in the whirlpool of industries (satire)

Moody’s love hate relationship with the raincoat (satire)

The curse of social media – cold blooded murders committed


Mumbai will get to see Justin Bieber in action on May 10

Kangana Ranaut is 'fearless Julia' in Rangoon

Shakti Kapoor holds his audience spellbound in the Khandagiri Yatra


ISIS carries out car bombing in Baghdad - kills at least 55

Suicide bomb attack kills at least 72 in a Sufi shrine in Pakistan

Mayor of London worried about ISIS attacks on the city