HT Correspondent
HAFLONG, July 4: Public concern has been raised regarding the state of the Haflong ASTC bus services and the lack of staff at the station. A passerby in Haflong expressed his helplessness and requested the replacement of old and malfunctioning buses with new ones at the ASTC Station. It appears that the individual is unaware of the current situation of the local bus services, which are facing a complete absence of employees at the Haflong ASTC Station.
Currently, there is only one staff member, an assistant superintendent, responsible for managing both the Haflong and Diphu ASTC stations. The two security assistants who were previously in contractual service have been released, and one staff member has been transferred to the Silchar ASTC Station. Similar to what happened at the Diphu ASTC Station, it is expected that the Haflong ASTC Station will also become an office without staff, leading to a potential cessation of bus services from Haflong.
At present, there are bus services available from Haflong to Diphu and vice versa, as well as from Haflong to Guwahati via Nagaon and vice versa. However, one Haflong-Diphu bus is currently out of service due to engine malfunction. The lack of regular mechanics in the entire corporation has led to delays in repairing vehicles that are either at the Haflong ASTC Station or in transit.
Previously, the Haflong ASTC bus services operated from Haflong to Hajadisa, with a stopover when the Haflong-Silchar bus service was in operation. Over 700 employees, including mechanics and security assistants in contractual service, have been released from their positions.
The Assam State Transport Corporation owns significant land properties in different places throughout the state, and if the current situation continues, large portions of the land, such as the Diphu ASTC Station compound and other station compounds, may become useless.
In response to these concerns, the people of Haflong and other areas in Dima Hasao district are urging the relevant authorities through the media to continue the bus services under ASTC. These services greatly benefit passengers by providing reasonable bus fares and timely connections to their destinations. They are especially convenient for government employees commuting to their workplaces and for local students studying outside the district, ensuring safety and affordable transportation. Additionally, ASTC is regularly used for couriering daily newspapers from Dispur and Delhi. The ASTC bus services, known locally as ‘Lal Bus’ or ‘Bus Gajao’, have a longstanding tradition in the district, being the primary mode of transportation to connect remote areas, district and sub-divisional headquarters, and important locations throughout the state.
The Dimasa Apex Body, Jadikhe Naisho Hoshom, has assured that it will address the matter with the relevant authorities. Retired primary education officer and former Dimasa Sahitya Sabha president, Dinendra Thaosen, expressed serious concern about the current state of the Haflong ASTC Station and indicated a significant neglect by the authorities involved.
