GUWAHATI: The Kamrup Metropolitan District Administration has started the process of demarcating distinct bus stoppages across the city. This is being done to regulate those city buses that halt anywhere they like to pick passengers, thereby causing traffic congestion in most parts of Guwahati.
Officials of the Transport Department opined that lack of distinctly demarcated bus stoppages and bus stands with necessary signages and sheds have been hindering the enforcement authorities from taking stringent action against the rampant buses.
Following a meeting of the District Road Safety Committee on February 28, chaired by Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kamrup (M) Pallav Gopal Jha, officials of the Regional Transport Authority, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Guwahati Traffic Police, Assam State Transport Corporation, and the District Administration jointly surveyed city stoppages from Basistha Chariali to Beltola Tiniali, and Khanapara to Ganeshguri areas in Guwahati. The group also surveyed unauthorised stoppages that have been flourishing over the Jalukbari flyover for the past few years, leading to a clutter of public vehicles at the very entry-exit points of Guwahati.
“Every time a bus is charged with violating rules, drivers and conductors counter by saying that there are no distinct stoppages at many places. Therefore, they stop wherever the passengers choose to wait, which is true. Until and unless there are proper stoppages with signages, on what basis will the enforcement charge them,” the official said.
Guwahati Municipal Corporation officials told G Plus that the present situation has been assessed to suggest necessary steps to control the menace of city buses.
Following the DC’s order, the concerned authorities have conducted the survey to propose the construction of well defined bus stoppages with signages and sheds across Guwahati, following which stringent action will be taken against buses found taking passengers from random locations.
