Transport woes: Passengers fume as buses diverted for PM’s event

Guwahati: A glaring display of poor planning was observed on Saturday with passengers left high and dry across Guwahati as city buses, both under the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) and private owned, vanished from arterial routes due to PM Modi’s much anticipated visit.

With eager crowds flocking to welcome the PM at his public event, the buses were diverted to outlying districts, leaving residents fuming over disrupted commutes.





The chaos quietly unfolded amid heightened security and excitement for Modi’s address, after he inaugurated the new airport terminal in Guwahati, as buses were deployed to ferry the crowds to the event.

Secretary of the Metropolitan Transport Association Guwahati (MTAG) Devraj Das said, “People can expect normalcy to be restored by Monday as the buses would be made available for the commuters.”

Commuters at key hubs such as Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) Khanapara, Paltan Bazar, Jalukbari, Panbazar and Beltola painted a picture of frustration. “I have been waiting for two hours for a bus to Basistha. Where are the buses? Every time such occasions occur, the management is extremely poor,” said Rajiv Haloi, a college student.

There is a fleet of over 300-400 city buses, both ASTC and privately owned, with passengers typically paying fares ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 60 depending on the distance travelled.

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