Meet the 58-YO Woman Bus Conductor in West Bengal Who’s Keeping Her Father’s Dream Alive
Each morning in West Bengal’s Howrah, even before the city fully wakes up, a bus pulls out onto its route with a silent determination. And standing on the footboard, her saree neatly tucked in, voice ringing out “Dharmatala, Dharmatala”, is 58-year-old Dolly Rana — a ‘lady’ bus conductor. Yes, you read that right.
But long before she began collecting fares and shouting out stops, Dolly was a daughter with a promise to keep. Her father had always dreamt of owning a bus. It wasn’t a grand ambition, just a simple dream rooted in dignity and hard work. After he passed away, Dolly, determined to fulfil that wish, took out loans to buy one herself.
What followed wasn’t the financial breakthrough she had hoped for, but a tide of challenges. The household began crumbling under the weight of debt. But rather than sell the bus or retreat into despair, Dolly made a choice few would expect — she decided to run it herself. Not from behind the scenes, but from the frontlines, as the conductor.
And she did it all in a saree. Day after day, standing on the edge of a moving bus, she handled passengers, tickets, schedules, and weather, all while challenging deeply ingrained notions about who belongs in such a job.
The struggles behind the smile
Her work didn’t stop at being unusual — it was also immensely demanding. As one of the very few women in a male-dominated line of work, Dolly faced the stares, the whispers, the disbelief. But she didn’t flinch. Her focus was her job, and her pride was her uniform: the saree she refused to abandon even for comfort’s sake.
But as the years passed, new problems emerged. The bus she had purchased with so much hope began to wear down. Maintenance became costlier, repairs more frequent and the pressure of EMIs and increasing fuel prices added to her woes.
The once-crowded route started thinning out as electric rickshaws took over the streets, offering faster, cheaper rides for short distances.
Her income dipped. The financial strain returned. Yet again, Dolly stood at a crossroads. But instead of giving up, she kept on hustling to keep her father’s dream alive.
Dolly spoke to The Better India about her struggles with a grace that moved over a million people. She explained how competition and a failing bus were making it difficult to continue. What she needed was simple: a new route permit. One that could revive her income and keep her doing the job she had come to love.
One game-changing call
TBI’s video did more than just go viral — it made its way to the right ears. Moved by her story, the state bus secretary personally called Dolly to inform her that her request had been approved.
For Dolly, that one phone call wasn’t just an administrative update—it was validation. A sign that her hard work, her resilience, and her plea had been recognised by a system that too often ignores voices like hers.
With a new permit, she now has access to a route that isn’t overrun by e-rickshaws, giving her a fairer chance to earn a living and keep her bus running.
Not just a conductor, but a trailblazer
Dolly doesn’t think of herself as a changemaker. But every day she climbs into her bus, she quietly redefines what strength looks like. She’s not loud, not confrontational—but her presence in a space still largely reserved for men speaks volumes.
She is a woman running her household, paying off debts, and doing it all while standing at the edge of a moving bus—wrapped in six yards of unwavering courage.
Dolly Rana’s journey from a grieving daughter to a conductor who inspired millions isn’t just about public transport or policy change — it’s about dignity.
It’s about what happens when a woman dares to take up space where she’s least expected and does it on her own terms.
Today, thanks to that new route and the attention her story received, she continues her job with renewed hope. Her bus may be old, but her spirit is anything but. And as she steps onto the footboard each morning, saree fluttering in the breeze, one thing is clear: this ride is far from over.
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