Locals stranded as Chartered Bus service comes to a standstill

Since 2009, life for commuters between the state capital Bhopal and the economic hub of the state, Indore, has become easier with the launch of Chartered Bus by

Atal Indore City Transport Services Limited

(

AICTSL

). With over 400 buses serving about two lakh passengers daily, Chartered had become the backbone of economy for these two cities. Many working professionals and students residing in Bhopal and Indore use it to travel every weekend to visit their families. Apart from that, Indore having the busiest airport in the state, serves as the best flying option for many travelers. But the current protests and attack on five chartered buses on the

Indore-Bhopal

expressway, brought commuting to a complete standstill as the service has been suspended for the past 30 hours. Other public and private operators of buses kept their services suspended too.
On Thursday night, they briefly resumed schedule of buses at 9 pm, though they could not sustain it. PRO of AICSTL Mala Singh Thakur shared, "We had shut services for 30 hours. Post taking stock of the situation, we had resumed services for all buses at 9 pm last night. However, after getting news of some fresh protests on the Indore–Bhopal highway, the management decided to shut services again at 11 am on Friday, till we receive a green signal from district administration and police force, as we cannot jeopardise anyone’s life in this volatile situation." When asked about the loss the company suffered due to torching of five buses on Wednesday evening,

Sandeep Soni

– CEO, AICTSL informs, "We are yet to ascertain the loss incurred because the insurance company is figuring out the depreciated value. But tentatively it would be somewhere around `1-1.5 crore."

The phone booking call center executives have been receiving non stop calls from concerned passengers. Shadab, one of the executives says, "Till now the management has not given us the exact time as to when the bus service will resume again. But its tentatively by evening if everything remains under control on the highway."

Many passengers who remain dependent on the bus stayed stranded in their respective cities due to this situation. Shreya Gour, a resident of Bhopal working in Indore shares, "My elder sister gave birth yesterday. I’m waiting till the evening and if services don’t resume, I’ll look for a train." A passenger at the waiting area of

Geeta Bhavan

shares, "I reached Indore from Mumbai last night, and I had to proceed to Bhopal immediately. But services have been suspended. I might have to take a cab." It was a similar situation at Bhopal ISBT. Suyash Datta, a pharmacy student from Indore says, "I waited the whole of yesterday and returned to my friends place for the night. That’s when a few buses left for Indore and I missed them." Another passenger says, "My wife and I have started looking for other options. When I approached a taxi service, they asked for double the fare. The usual fare is ₹ 350 per person and now they are asking for ₹ 600 per person."

Chartered which also operates buses in other areas of the state, have only suspended Indore-Bhopal services due to attacks on the expressway. Buses are functional for other cities like Ratlam, Jabalpur, Sagar. Tanmay Gehlot, a resident of

Ratlam

studying at Medicaps Institute in Indore shares, "I have a lot of apprehension about the situation on the highway and Ratlam also being a susceptible area. But I haven’t gone to my parent’s since three months and it is my sister’s wedding on June 11. So I have to travel since I can’t miss the wedding." All road transport services stayed suspended indefinitely in both Bhopal and Indore till the time of going to press.

Drivers and conductors receive special instructions
After the incident of buses being torched, the employees of AICTSL were given special instructions to keep calm and help passengers first. Mala points out, "None of our drivers and conductors fled the spot when the buses were torched. As a part of their monthly drill, they are instructed to look into the situation sensitively and rationally. We are nurturing staff who are self-motivated and have a sense of responsibility. They have been trained to use fire extinguishers and first-aid kits. They were also guided on how not to panic and immediately call the control room.”