Bus operators in West BengalFriday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking emergency relief for the passenger transport industry to help it survive the financial losses being incurred during the nationwide lockdown.Claiming that both the bus owners and their staff are in similar financial distress owing to the lockdown, the West Bengal Bus-Minibus Samannay Samity wrote to the Centre and the state government seeking an ex gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh per bus following normalisation of the situation.Its general secretary Rahul Chatterjee said the amount would be necessary for rejuvenating the industry and to compensate the transport staff such as driver, conductor, helper and cleaner.In the letters, the body also demanded that all EMIs and interest payable should be waived off for six months and restructure of loan amounts be started six months after normalisation of the situation.It also demanded that the validity period of insurance should be extended by six months from the original date of expiry.It further sought a waiver of all taxes and fees payable during the lockdown.
