The strong isolation heatwave scorching the south Bengal districts, including Kolkata and Howrah, for the past many days are sending commuters scurrying for the cover and comfort of the Howrah Maidan station of the Green Line Metro and its air-conditioned compartments, in turn ditching other modes of sluggish non-AC transport
Photographs by Soumyajit DeyThe yellow taxis at Howrah station are finding it difficult to get passengers in this oppressive heat. A ride from Howrah to Esplanade would, otherwise, cost around Rs 150 amid heavy traffic
Though mini buses prove convenient for people to easily hop in and hop off the rest of the year, the heatwave this year has dealt a cruel blow to their occupancy rates too. A ride costs around Rs 15 to BBD Bag or Esplanade
The ferry or launch services from various ghats on either side of the Hooghly charge barely Rs 6 to Rs 8 to the opposite embankment but still the occupancy rates the last few days have been drastically dipped
A conductor on a private bus too appears to be forlorn in the absence of passengers. A ride across the Hooghly to Esplanade costs barely Rs 10 but then, it can't offer the air-conditioned comfort of an AC Metro rake and is hence, suffering business
A fairly crowded AC Metro compartment on its way from Howrah Maidan to the central business district
The crowded escalators transporting Green Line passengers to other Metro lines and the exit gates left nothing to imagination at why people are preferring the fast and comfy mode of AC transport at Rs 10 per ticket rather than enduring the sauna effect in yellow taxis and on buses and ferries