Kolkata, known as the City of Joy, is one of the few places in India where culture extends beyond mere terminology. Here, culture meets variety; from the streetlamps at night to the mornings in Bagbazar, every area tells a different story. Traditionally, people have relied on buses as their companions and guides throughout Kolkata. If you want to go somewhere, just tell the conductor your destination, and if he responds positively, your journey in Kolkata begins with the bus driver leading the way. You can experience everything from the city's aesthetics to the notorious traffic jams, all by bus.
Now, think what if the vehicle that is supposed to take you to your destination has no one to drive it? Yes, it can happen, as according to a report from the transport department of West Bengal, in 2025, only 56 people applied for a bus driver’s license. This is a 95.33% drop compared to 2020, when 1200 people applied for the bus license. As per government officials, as cited in the Ei Samay Sangbadpatra, the data shows a clear lack of interest among people, as no one really wants to drive a bus anymore.
Modernity over tradition
The non-governmental bus association officials informed Ei Samay Sangbadpatra that 25 to 30% buses are not even getting the help to heat the engine, as there is no one to give the buses a start. People these days love traveling solo and freely. The lives of people have accelerated, and for this reason, passengers no longer like to think of themselves as merely passengers. It has become a connection between the traveler and the passenger. People nowadays really like the solo travel service, and where one market falls down, another market area rises. The game of supply and demand moved the drivers to cab driving. App cabs help the drivers earn at least 30k in a month, sometimes more than that, and the bus drivers only earn 15 to 16k in a month. Recently, a Reddit post went viral, which states that a driver earns more than 75k in a month in Bengaluru.
Bus driving also does not give the drivers freedom; they have to work every time and have to do three to four trips in a day. A bus owner of the Nager Bazar – Howrah route said to Ei Samay Sangabadpatra that those who are coming to drive do not stay there more than a month or two, as bus driving is really hectic and compared to the labour, the pay remains the same. All Bengal Bus Minibus Coordination Association said, "The crisis is so severe that it has become difficult to maintain regular services on some routes.”
Government bus drivers are also on their way to becoming extinct
A few months ago, the Government called for tenders to resolve the issues regarding hiring drivers. Only one company responded to this tender. According to department sources, Various companies have avoided the issue due to the low salary compared to the public sector. Since only one company responded to the tender, the tender was cancelled, and a new tender was called.
In this context, Transport Minister Snehashis Chakraborty said, "Steps will be taken to overcome this problem with everyone's opinions."
In this situation, representatives of private bus owners' organizations believe that the intervention of the transport department is necessary to keep the buses alive. According to them, this crisis cannot be overcome unless the salary structure of bus drivers is restructured. Along with this, demands are also being made to provide health insurance and other facilities.
Neoliberalism sparked the way for neocapitalism, and when luxury opened up for the masses, no one really wanted to stay back in their life. From riding a car to being able to book a personal auto to bikes, which reduces the time and also reduces the hectic of waiting in lines. People are not really resisting themselves from buying comfort.
People are becoming familiar with luxury and luxury has no limit, that’s why it will always create a market opportunity, just like the cabs and app cabs created.
