West Bengal CM launches helpline numbers to tackle corruption
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday (July 28, 2026) launched several helpline numbers to combat corruption in public life.
Citizens can call toll-free helpline numbers to register complaints on four specific issues: cut money, syndicate extortion, illegal toll booths, and bootlegging. The government has set up dedicated numbers for each: 155445 for cut money, 155334 for extortion, 155337 for illegal toll booths, and 155339 for bootlegging.
“A special control room will be operational from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” Mr. Adhikari said. He added that genuine grievances will be addressed promptly, but warned that sharing false information would attract legal action under applicable laws.
The Bharatiya Janata Party had promised to end the culture of cut money and syndicate tax if it came to power in West Bengal.
State Chief Secretary Manoj Agrawal said all calls to the helpline will be recorded, and a mechanism will be in place to retrieve records if necessary. Initially, artificial intelligence will categorize complaints. In the next stage, police officers will investigate each complaint and take appropriate action. Regular reports on the number of complaints and actions taken will be sent to the Chief Minister.
Mr. Adhikari also emphasized upgrading police infrastructure, promising to fill the current 47,000 vacancies in the police force. He set a target of increasing the number of police personnel per lakh population to 200, similar to Uttar Pradesh. Currently, West Bengal has 106 police personnel per lakh population.
The Chief Minister also felicitated students who performed well in the NEET examination and promised to upgrade infrastructure in public and private medical colleges. “This NEET exam is a national-level examination, where success comes through overcoming very tough challenges. My dear future doctors have showcased their hidden talent and potential brilliantly in this competition. This success is not theirs alone; the people of West Bengal are happy and overjoyed by your success,” he said.
