The North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) has decided to install CCTV cameras on most of its buses to enhance passenger safety and deter any misconduct or crime.

“Buses which run more than 300km at night will have 100 per cent CCTV coverage. Some new buses have CCTV cameras currently. The drivers and conductors have been asked to be proactive, keep a watch on the monitor and intervene in case any undesirable situation crops up on a bus,” NBSTC chairman Parthapratim Roy said.

According to him, there is also a plan to install CCTV cameras on short-distance buses. “The battery-operated cameras will be fitted near the doors of short-distance buses. If a complaint is raised, we will check the footage to know the reality,” added Roy.

Sources said 12 buses of the NBSTC's Siliguri depot plied on the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri route and the last trip would start around 8.30pm.

“Around 15 buses leave Siliguri for southern parts of the state every day. Eight buses run from Siliguri to Cooch Behar and nine to Darjeeling. One trip each is conducted to Kalimpong, Alipurduar and Mekhliganj, and two each to Bindu and Gangtok,” said a source.

Further, the Siliguri depot operates NBSTC buses to different destinations in the Siliguri subdivision, like Kharibari, Naxalbari, Panitanki and Pahargoomiah.

A senior NBSTC official said the CCTV cameras would improve the safety and security of passengers.

“This initiative aligns with the broader efforts to modernise public transport infrastructure and ensure a safer travel environment, particularly in light of rising concerns over incidents of harassment of women, theft and other forms of misconduct on public buses,” he said.

Abhaya Mitra, a woman who travels between Siliguri and Jalpaiguri every day, has said the CCTV cameras will act as a deterrent to criminal activities, as potential offenders will be aware that they are being monitored.