IT firms overwork carpool drivers due to lack of options

KOLKATA: The death of a techie travelling to his Salt Lake office on Wednesday morning in an office carpool — after the cabby allegedly dozed off at the wheel — has brought the focus back on the non-availability of transport for Sector V employees. This forces most offices to run extended carpool operations, often coaxing the drivers to do overtime, depriving them of their minimum sleep requirement.



Following the accident, Bidhannagar police have decided to speak to company representatives, officials of Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority and transport department officials to explain the issues with public transport, especially at night, that force office-goers to rely on illegal autos and shuttles.



Daily commuters who travel to Sector V for work said there was a need for regularized routes for autos in Sector V, along with designated stops. Buses, too, are few and far between. “On paper, there are 40-odd bus routes on paper that ply along the IT hub across Sector V, Rajarhat and Bantala. The reality, however, is completely different. Most of the commuters in this area have to depend on shuttles to commute to and from office. In fact, some of us even stay back late just to take the office drop in the carpool available after 9pm,” said Avijit Dutta who works at an IT firm in New Town.

On Friday, TOI stopped at multiple intersections in Sector V only to find people waiting for public transport or standing in long queues to take autos and illegal shuttles.

“In the evening, the app cab rates are also very high. Even a shared cab ride from Sector V to Behala Chowrasta costs around Rs 375, which is too expensive to spend on a daily basis. Hence, we have to rely on shuttle services,” said Mainak Bhattacharya, a resident of Behala Chowrasta.

The worst hit are the 3,500-odd employees who work at the Bantala IT Park. With just about four to five routes, and extremely crowded buses, techies even have to take the banned ‘vanos’ at times.