A new government bus route, S-69, was launched on Thursday, bringing relief to commuters in North Kolkata. The service has started with four buses operating between Ghoshbagan in Kashipur and Santragachi Station.

Transport Minister Snehashis Chakraborty inaugurated the new route and said that the number of buses will be increased gradually in the coming days.

According to the transport department, buses on this route will start from Ghoshbagan and pass through Regent Cinema and Chiria More before crossing Tala Bridge. The route will then cover major areas such as Shyambazar, Maniktala, Rajabazar and NRS Hospital.

From there, the buses will travel through Mallick Bazar, Exide More and Rabindra Sadan before crossing Vidyasagar Setu and finally reaching Santragachi Station.

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The new route is expected to make travel easier for people living in large parts of North Kolkata, particularly those commuting to Sealdah and Santragachi railway stations.

Residents of Ghoshbagan and nearby areas have welcomed the move, as the bus service had been a long-standing demand of the locality.

Local councillor Suman Singh said, “The suffering of school students and office commuters will now reduce considerably. People in the area had been demanding such a bus route for a long time.”