Kolkata, Aug 19 (IANS): A three-day bus strike in West Bengal scheduled to begin Wednesday has been deferred due to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to Singapore, a bus operator said Tuesday.
Mamata Banerjee is on a five-day visit to the island nation to tap investment.
"We have deferred the strike. A senior official in the state government requested us to wait until the chief minister returns so that there is a scope for discussion on the issue," Deepak Sarkar, member of the Bengal Bus Syndicate, told IANS.
A section of the operators owing allegiance to six unions called the strike demanding an immediate hike in fares. As many as six bus associations were supposed to participate in the strike.
The bus operators are angry at the state government's refusal to hike fares despite the formation of several expert committees over the past one year to look into the demands of the bus associations.