This story is from August 4, 2020

ASTC to provide buses for inter-district travel

Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) will provide buses for inter-district travel, depending upon the numbers of passengers as the state government has allowed inter-district movement on two days of the week — Monday and Tuesday.
ASTC to provide buses for inter-district travel
By: Rokibuz Zaman
GUWAHATI: Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) will provide buses for inter-district travel, depending upon the numbers of passengers as the state government has allowed inter-district movement on two days of the week — Monday and Tuesday.
Intra-district bus services are also allowed to operate in all districts within the district, except in Kamrup (M) district.

ASTC managing director Anand Prakash Tiwari, said, “Intra-district bus services are allowed after getting the permission from the the respective district administration. The number of vehicles which need to ply will be decided by the district officials as they know the ground situation better than us.”
Night curfew from 6 pm to 6 am on all days and total lockdown on weekends, however, will continue to remain in force for now, an order issued on Sunday by chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said.
Ashok Kumar Bhattarai, the chairperson of ASTC, said the ASTC has provided buses for inter-district movement of people and passengers can book their tickets online at ASTC REDBUS app within the state or can purchase tickets from the counter also. “We will provide more buses if the number of passengers rise. Due to Covid-19, travelling has been reduced. As the city buses in Guwahati are not allowed to operate, so intra-district bus services are not allowed in Guwahati city,” he added.

He said, “Inter-district movement of people is allowed on Monday and Tuesday and no separate permission or approval will be required for travel within the state on these two days, the order, which came into force on Sunday, 7 pm and continue till August 14.”
Although the lockdown restrictions have more or less been lifted in Guwahati, the plight of those associated with the city bus services in the city is continuing as the vehicles have still not been allowed on roads. The future of drivers, conductors and bus owners remains uncertain.
On Monday, city bus owners in the city urged the government to allow the resumption of services in the city. “We have not been able to pay our EMIs. Our employees are suffering. Either allow us or pay compensation to us,” said a owner of a bus, stressing that they are willing to follow the guidelines prescribed by the government.
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