Guwahati: After four months of continuous shut down of inter-district travel, the state government on Tuesday announced that private vehicles will be allowed to travel inter-district but the order from the government had no relaxations for commercial vehicles. Following this announcement, expression grave-concern, drivers of the night bus services in Assam claimed that now with bus services remaining suspended they have no option but to commit suicide.
Speaking about the issue, Secretary of the All Assam Non-government Day-Night Bus, Rupam Dutta said, “When we were told that inter-district transport would resume, the drivers of the buses along with their families felt as if it was a festival. We thought that after a gap of four months, finally, we would be able to take some good things home.”
He further added, “But, after the SOP was announced, we were left in shock to know that there were no guidelines to resume our bus services and rather we were more worried about what we would say to our families who would be waiting for us to reach back home. Everyone came with high hopes that finally things would get back to normal.”
He added that most of the drivers came to the ISBT early in the morning of Tuesday and got their buses ready for resuming the services with high hopes but now each of them is just left with disappointments.
Further, he added, “We know that the new Chief Minister had been doing a lot for the people of the state but he should also keep this in mind that there is another community in Assam. The drivers’ community also needs to be taken care of.”
He added that if the government does not take any steps for their survival, they will be forced to commit suicide by jumping in front of a train.
“We have stopped wearing masks! We now feel that it is better for us dying with COVID instead of living with a hungry stomach”, he added.