Bengal Bus Syndicate Swarnakamal Saha said: “The reduction has increased our problems. This means we will lose Rs 1.89 per litre in diesel prices and Rs 1.29 per litre from the petrol price slash. This is a one-sided decision by the state.” Several private bus syndicates are likely to place their own charter of demands before the government on this.

President of the Joint Council of Bus Syndicate Sadhan Das said: “Tomorrow we have a meeting with the bus-owners in Kolkata and the day after we shall meet those in districts.”

On Friday morning, taxi owners also agitated outside the Bengal Motor Vehicles’ office in Beltala protesting the reduction in price. The minimum fare for taxis has gone down from Rs 22 to Rs 20.

Last June, the state government cut sales tax on fuel soon after the Centre had raised prices. While the minimum bus and minibus fares remain the same at Rs 4 and Rs 5 respectively, the price concession has brought down the bus fares by Rs 1 and that of minibuses by 50 paisa from the next level.

Meanwhile, the worst hit by the price reduction will be petrol pumps in areas bordering neighbouring states. Since petrol pumps in other states will provide fuel at a lower cost, transport vehicles will line up for fuel in these

states and not in Bengal, sources said. The West Bengal Petrol Pump Dealers’ Association said this will have a huge impact on the businesses of 600 of the total 2,000 petrol pumps located on borders.

... contd.