Perils of the Indian bus journey

Surviving a trip can often seem a miracle

Rajyasri Rao BBC reporter in Delhi

Tuesday's bus crash in West Bengal in which more than 40 people died has once again put Indian buses in the spotlight.

A bus journey in India is an experience fraught with difficulties.

Most of the time you will find yourself crammed in tight with far more people than the bus is officially allowed to carry.

Your bus is likely to bump along on pot-holed roads with other vehicles whizzing by at dangerous speeds.

On the other hand, you could find yourself stuck behind sauntering cows - considered holy by the country's majority Hindu community.

Breakneck speed

On longer, inter-state journeys to hill stations - favourite tourist destinations - it also means clutching your seats whenever the bus climbs narrow, winding roads that are more often than not poorly lit.

Journeys often come with views of other crashes

Surviving the trip sometimes seems little short of a miracle.

Lorries and buses hurtle down at breakneck speeds from the opposite direction.

The frequent site of uncleared wreckage from earlier accidents does nothing to settle the nerves.

India has one of the world's worst traffic safety records, with frequent crashes blamed on poorly implemented safety standards, inadequate maintenance of roads and unchecked speeding.

Irritable

Travelling in cities can also present other problems.

The latest crash near Calcutta killed 40

Women in Delhi have to deal with the additional discomfort of sexual harassment, or what is known here as "Eve-teasing".

Many women choose to arm themselves with chilli powder or a pointed object before setting off on a bus journey.

Irritable and unhelpful conductors often do little to help.

However, the low cost of the ride means women frequently have no choice but to take the bus even if it is a distressing and infuriating experience.

The city's main fleet of buses is run by the government.

But it has faced stiff competition in recent years from private companies.

That means more frequent buses, but it can also mean faster, less comfortable rides.

More dangerous too - the capital's road deaths seem an ever-rising number.