Red, blue, saffron: Buses in Bengal show changing colours of politics

Kolkata’s government buses are undergoing a significant colour change, shifting from blue-and-white to saffron, a move the transport minister attributes to modernization and a “dynamic double-engine regime.” This rebranding extends to e-tickets, with officials maintaining it’s not a formal policy shift. However, critics argue cosmetic changes distract from critical issues like driver shortages and declining fleet strength, with commuters prioritizing reliability over political symbolism.