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Expired Bus Fitness Sparks Student Protest
23 Sep
Summary
- Students protested expired bus fitness certificates, halting services.
- Two buses operated with nearly decade-old expired fitness papers.
- Authorities provided written assurances to address safety concerns.
Students at Tezpur University organized a protest and disrupted Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) bus services between Tezpur town and the university campus. The demonstration occurred on Tuesday night, lasting approximately four hours, due to allegations that two buses were operating with fitness certificates that expired nearly ten years prior. The blockade was lifted after ASTC officials visited the campus and provided a written commitment to resolve the students' demands.
Protesting students cited numerous safety issues, including expired vehicle registration, pollution, and fitness documents, as well as a driver with an expired license. They also reported a previous incident on September 10 involving a driver accused of being drunk and misbehaving. Students submitted a formal complaint seeking action, and with no satisfactory response by September 16, they escalated their protest.
An ASTC official stated that the fitness of buses servicing the university is certified internally and that the allegations would be investigated. A meeting involving ASTC and Tezpur University stakeholders is scheduled for Friday to discuss the matter and potentially revise the existing agreement on bus services. Officials noted that while bus fares are currently concessional, introducing new buses, whether diesel or electric, might necessitate a fare increase.
