Kolkata public transport remained severely strained on Panchami, with fewer buses, disappearing autos, scarce app-based cabs and bikes, and overcrowded Metro trains leaving commuters facing long waits, high fares and unsafe conditions across the city.
The disruption affected office-goers during the morning commute and worsened by evening. At several Metro stations, passengers struggled to board trains, while crowded compartments reportedly continued operating with doors unable to close properly as commuters pushed their way in and out.
Saikat Banerjee, a resident of Kudghat, said he feared he would suffocate inside a train and had to step onto the platform at each station before forcing his way back into the compartment. Waiting times at Sealdah and Esplanade stations for baggage checks and card swiping also increased sharply, with commuters reporting that queues took almost three times longer than usual.
The pressure on the Metro followed a reduction in road-based public transport. Several routes either stopped operating or ran with limited services, according to sources cited by the Times of India. Private buses were operating at an estimated 50% to 60% of their usual strength, while most minibuses remained off the road.
Bus operators attributed the reduced service partly to workers refusing to operate because of concerns that police could requisition their vehicles. Sources also said that some unions were facing disputes over Puja bonuses, affecting the availability of buses during the festive period.
The shortage pushed more commuters towards app-based mobility, but vehicles were difficult to book and fares rose sharply. Tanima Mondal, who works on Park Street, said she could not board a Metro at Rabindra Sarobar and found an app-cab fare of Rs 430 for a ride to her office. She eventually booked an app bike for Rs 180.
Mithun Ghosh said he waited for more than 30 minutes for an app bike before booking a cab at a higher fare. He paid Rs 475 for a ride from Behala Chowrasta to Rabindra Sadan. Indranil Banerjee, general secretary of the Online Cab Operators Guild, said traffic was slow and many drivers had reserved their vehicles for pandal-hopping, reducing availability for regular commuters.
The shortage of buses was particularly visible on routes connecting southern Kolkata. Sandhya Banerjee, travelling with her 10-year-old daughter, said she waited 55 minutes for a bus between Gariahat and Tollygunge. During that period, she saw three private buses and two government buses arrive, all with passengers already hanging from the doors.
The pattern was similar to the disruption reported on Chaturthi, when reduced road transport and increased festive travel placed additional pressure on the Metro system. The accounts indicate that Kolkata’s transport network had limited spare capacity to absorb a simultaneous fall in bus services and a surge in festival-related travel.
The reported disruption involved multiple transport modes rather than a single network failure. With buses and autos less available, app-based vehicles facing higher demand and Metro trains absorbing additional passengers, commuters were left with fewer practical alternatives during peak travel periods.
