GUWAHATI: Guwahati's public transportation system may be inadequate to meet the needs of the citizens, a recent poll by GPlus found.
Many have been expressing deep concern about the current state of the public transportation system in Guwahati with passengers reporting longer waiting times at bus stops and extra charges by conductors who refuse to issue e-tickets during late night hours. Furthermore, other drivers on road also complain of unauthorized bus stoppages in the middle of road creating traffic and reckless driving by bus drivers.
ALSO READ: Opinion | Urban Tree Cover: Is Guwahati Losing Its Vintage Beauty?
As such, GPlus recently conducted a poll on its social media platforms asking the people of Guwahati if they are satisfied with the current state of the public transportation system in the city or if there is a need for improvement.
Out of the 2,247 responses, a majority expressed deep unsatisfaction with public transport system in Guwahati.
Out of the 1830 respondents on Instagram, only 16% said that they were happy with the public transport system in Guwahati, almost 66% said they were not satisfied and 18% said that it needs improvement.
Some complained of high bus fares affecting college students, while others complained of extremely long wait times and overcrowded buses. A few users suggested that an improvement can be made by introducing fixed timings for bus stoppages.
Responding to the poll, a person named Deep Zoti said, "Definitely not! They block our way on road.. I always go through Nepali Mandir at evening and 5-6 buses come altogether and stop there for too long.. No timing maintained, No disciplined drivers!! Very annoying.. They should maintain discipline.."
"Honestly once you get to know the routes public transportation becomes very satisfactory, not to mention most of the time the bus conductors are very helpful! Overall I'd say it's not the best but it very much gets the job done," a user named Hemanta Roy stated.
Another user named Disha Das stated, "I'm generally satisfied with the bus service, but I do have some concerns that I'd like to bring to your attention. Sometimes, passengers quarrel with the conductor over trivial matters, which can be unnecessary and chaotic. Specifically, I've noticed that people often argue about bus fares for certain distances in AC buses. I think it would be helpful if the conductor could politely clarify any confusion or uncertainty about fares, rather than engaging in arguments. Additionally, I appreciate safe driving practices and would like to request that drivers avoid aggressive driving, such as speeding or sudden braking."
On Facebook, a total of 265 people participated in the poll, out of which 18 users said that they were satisfied with the public transport system and 81 users said that it needs improvement. However, a majority of 166 users said that they were not happy with the current state of public transport in Guwahati.
Similar sentiments were echoed on Twitter where, out of the 146 respondents, 10.3% expressed satisfaction, 18.5% users said that it needs improvement and a majority of 71.2% respondents said that they were not satisfied with Guwahati's public transport.
On October 6, an accident between two green buses on the Ganeshguri flyover raised concerns, not just because of the reckless overspeeding by the 'competing' buses, but also due to an alarming neglect as the driver of one of the buses refused to stop even after the windowpanes were shattered. A few passengers were injured and other passengers had to reportedly cause a hue and cry before the bus driver stopped the bus and let out the passengers. Another similar incident was also reported from Zoo Road Tiniali on October 23.
The recent incidents, along with the poll findings, suggest that there is a vast room for improvement in the public transport system and an immediate need for stricter punishments on bus drivers who endanger public safety with their reckless driving.