HT Digital
Guwahati, 18 Oct: Bus services between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have come to a halt as operators launched an indefinite protest at the Sadiya–Shantipur border, alleging illegal collections along the route. The stir has disrupted daily travel to Roing, the headquarters of Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district, leaving passengers stranded and connectivity between the two states severely affected.
Drivers and handymen of buses arriving from Lower Dibang Valley stopped operations at the Shantipur check gate in Assam on 18 October morning, demanding an end to the alleged extortion practices. According to the Central Committee of the Day and Night Bus Association, each bus is forced to pay up to Rs 15,000 to certain groups, adding to their financial strain.
Speaking to reporters, the association’s general secretary, Bitu Sharma, said that operators are being “threatened and coerced into paying funds in the name of unions and events”. He warned that unless the illegal payments stop, they would confine their operations within Assam. The union also highlighted that passengers are being charged Rs 50 as an entry fee, up from the earlier Rs 30, further burdening commuters.
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The association has urged the Lower Dibang Valley administration to intervene and put an end to these unlawful collections. They have also made it clear that night bus services will remain suspended until the issue is resolved. Meanwhile, limited services continue from the Shantipur side in Assam as an interim arrangement, while both commuters and operators await swift administrative action to restore normal transport between the two northeastern states.
