Source : PTI | The Joint Council of Bus Syndicates, West Bengal, on Saturday urged the state government not to scrap commercial buses older than 15 years and instead constitute a committee to examine alternatives such as engine replacement to curb pollution.
In a statement, the organisation said reports circulating on social media claiming that commercial vehicles over 15 years old would no longer be allowed to operate had created panic among bus owners.
The Council maintained that the authority to issue any notification regarding the scrapping of commercial vehicles rests with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
It also noted that the Supreme Court has stayed the National Green Tribunal’s order on the issue and that the organisation is a party to the ongoing proceedings before the apex court.
The statement issued by Council secretary Tapan Banerjee said buses and minibuses older than 15 years were phased out in 2009 in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area, but the notification was modified in 2025 following a Calcutta High Court order extending the permissible age limit.
It claimed that discussions on the matter are currently underway in the transport department, although it remains uncertain whether the notification can be amended or withdrawn quickly.
Questioning the rationale behind scrapping vehicles that continue to receive mandatory fitness certificates and pollution-under-control clearances, the body argued that a valid fitness certificate establishes that a vehicle is roadworthy.
The organisation appealed to the government to explore replacing older diesel engines with cleaner alternatives instead of scrapping entire vehicles, arguing that components such as the body, gearbox and tyres do not contribute to pollution.
The Council said the 2009 decision to withdraw older buses from service still remains a cause of concern among operators and appealed to the government to ensure that a similar directive is not issued again, saying the livelihoods of bus owners and operators should be protected.
