GUWAHATI: Though the managing director of Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), IPS officer Anand Prakash Tiwari has been seen in interviews (mostly given to the local news channels) that the transport department is geared up for facilitating inter-district movement, many people are confused as they do not know if they will be able to commute on ASTC buses from different districts.
Highly placed sources in National Health Mission (NHM) talking to G Plus under condition of anonymity said that 24,818 calls were received by 104 for acquiring permission of travelling one-time to different districts by ASTC buses. 104, amidst receiving many medical emergency calls, forwarded these 24,818 requests to ASTC which asked travel permission for more than 41,000 passengers.
The ASTC has claimed that 41,000 passengers will travel separately in three days – (25th, 26th & 27th April), but the applicants are yet to be informed. The officials of ASTC were asked by G Plus how many buses are to be allotted for the purpose. The officials failed to answer which questions the preparedness of the department.
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Though the health & finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has already clarified in his press conference on 24th April that the passengers who will be allowed to travel on the above mentioned days will get a message on the previous day, the process still looks unplanned to many.
“I understand that it is an emergency situation and the government is trying to help but as we want to travel by ASTC as announced by the government, ASTC should have had a toll-free number rather than 104. It is difficult to contact ASTC whereas 104 has already forwarded our request,” said an applicant who is irked at the entire process.
Meanwhile, the 104 is not facilitating any requests for ASTC related queries as they took the requests till midnight of 23rd April. But still they are getting many calls which are disturbing them from addressing the medical emergencies.
