Traffic fears clean-bowled by bus service on IPL night

If Sunil Narine was the match-winner inside the Eden Gardens on Sunday, the night bus service was adjudged the ‘Man of the Match’ outside it. Spectators who availed of the bus service gave a thumbs up to the initiative. While some said they were touched by the arrangements (they have had to return home in goods vehicles last year), there were others who felt proud seeing “such improvement in their city”. Many had scoffed at the idea of a night bus service when the government introduced it last month. The IPL match on Sunday was the first proper test for it. The sleek new buses were parked at several points in Esplanade much before the match ended. While some buses were parked inside the terminus in Esplanade, some were parked at Dorina crossing, Rani Rashmoni Avenue, in front of KC Das and Tipu Sultan mosque. “When I saw a government bus on my route at 12.30am, I felt so reassured. I felt proud too that somebody in the administration feels it is important to arrange for safe transport for spectators,” said Shreya Bose, a resident of Patuli. She went ahead to say if the frequency of such buses were increased on other nights, it would make women feel more safer when they step out at nights.