Passengers waiting at bus stops can now check timings on screen

Kolkata: Now passengers waiting at a bus stop will get to know in advance the next buses reaching there. The state transport department will fit a television-like display in some selected bus stops in the city for  providing information about buses to soon reach the stops.

The pilot project will start from New Town and Salt Lake, Sector V area, with the Housing & Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) cooperating with the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) for the project.

“We are planning to make it effective in the city in three months... The real time display of the buses scheduled to arrive at the bus stop will be of great help for a waiting passenger. We will begin with the display of government buses and will gradually incorporate the private buses too,” Narayan Swaroop Nigam, managing director of WBTC said.

Hidco chairman Debashis Sen said that they had already selected four bus stops —two (on both sides) near Nazrul Tirtha and another two (both sides) on Ring Road in Sector V, Salt Lake.

“The internet and sofware connection will be arranged by us and the WBTC will provide the data of the buses. Once a passenger reaches the stop, he can check the next five or six buses arriving there,” Mr Sen said.

The Hidco is also making a design through a noted agency to enable a passenger, particularly foreign tourists, to know the actual routes of buses passing through the bus stop.

“We are now looking for an appropriate casing in the form of a strong glass or likewise of the TV set that will be on display to prevent it from rain and theft,” Mr Sen said.