No more petrol, diesel vehicles in Bengal by 2030: minister

25 Aug 2022 CW Team

The transport system in West Bengal is set to undergo major changes, with stress on efficiency, non-pollution, safety and transparency. State Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty said that by 2030 smart vehicles will replace the petrol and diesel vehicles in the state.

The minister held a meeting with the district administration, police, and RTOs of eight districts in Siliguri this week. Later, the Minister said, "We have entered into an agreement with Tata Motors. They will be providing 1180 e-buses. The buses will be delivered and introduced in phases throughout the state in the next two to three years."

He added that the entire transport system will be overhauled by 2030. "There will be no diesel, petrol vehicles in future. They will be replaced by smart e-vehicles and CNG vehicles by 2030. We will have to introduce e-charging points throughout the state in a very planned manner for this."

The transport department is also planning to introduce special services during the festival of Durga Puja.

"There is a great rush during pujas so we will have more buses. We could also have special services, including conducted package tours for Pujo Porikroma (visiting puja pandals)," said the minister.

"Very soon there will be an online system in place by which people can apply for and renew driving license permits from the comfort of their homes. They will not have to queue up and it will reduce harassment," said Chakraborty.

The Minister added that as the Chief Minister does not want to burden the public there are no plans to increase bus fares immediately.

Infrastructure Transport

17 Sep 2025

Gurgaon-Pataudi-Rewari Highway Set for Completion by December 2025

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has set a new target to complete the four-lane Gurgaon-Pataudi-Rewari highway by December 2025, following a two-year delay.Originally planned in 2018 to upgrade the two-lane state highway into a national highway, the project is estimated to cost Rs 9 billion. Construction, which began in 2021, was initially scheduled for completion in November 2023. According to NHAI, around 70 per cent of the work is already complete, with two major structures still pending: a railway overbridge at Pahari village and a two-lane unidirectional flyover on Dwarka E..

UP Plans Rs 900 Million Extensions to Hindon Elevated Road

The Uttar Pradesh state bridge corporation has prepared the detailed project report and cost estimates for two proposed extensions of the 10.3-km Hindon elevated road, officials said on Thursday. The road connects Raj Nagar Extension to UP-Gate near the east Delhi border, and the project is expected to cost around Rs 900 million.The two extensions, each 400 metres long, will be added to the existing elevated road to ensure smoother traffic flow. “One of the extensions will be from near the Kanawani culvert (near Indirapuram) to the elevated road for commuters heading towards Delhi. The other..

Goa Likely to Miss October Deadline for Maritime Master Plan

Goa is expected to miss the October 31 deadline for submitting its maritime and waterways master plan, which covers the state’s 105 km coastline and river network. The delay is due to the project management consultant not yet being appointed. The plan is now anticipated to be completed by December, Captain of Ports Octavio Rodrigues stated at the India Maritime Week 2025 roadshow.“We have already selected the consultant and will bring them on board within a week. Only then can we begin drafting the master plan, which is essential to secure central government funding,” Rodrigues added.A c..