How we abuse our Freedom??
D J Venkatesh
Port Blair, Aug 14: Considering heavy demand of public, the Transport Department had started a special bus from Port Blair to Aerial Bay region of Diglipur, three years back, which brought smiles for villagers, living in and around Aerial Bay area.
But happy moment doesn’t last long, all of a sudden, without any notice the Transport Department stopped plying the evening ATR bus upto Aerial Bay and started disembarking passengers at Diglipur Bazaar instead of Aerial Bay.
As a result, now the passengers of Aerial Bay or Durgapur or Kalipur are forced to stand at Diglipur Bazaar for availing Private Buses or autos, for which they have to pay exorbitant fare.
Fixing of any route permit is a policy decision but in the Transport Department, the policy decisions are being taken by the Middle Level Officers, that too without consulting with general public or public leaders. Same thing probably happened in this case also.
On being questioned about the irregularity, the In-charge STS Diglipur stated that due to non-availability of passengers, they are forced to operate the bus services upto only Diglipur Bazaar instead of Aerial Bay. “Moreover, buses coming from Port Blair, come with the Display Board of Port Blair to Diglipur instead of Aerial Bay.
But General public complain that this is just a lame excuse.
”We have no option other than availing auto or private bus to reach Aerial Bay, Durgapur or Kalipur. There is something fishy that when for the similar route, Private Buses get the maximum passengers upto Aerial Bay then why don’t STS buses? May be there is some understanding between STS and Private Bus operators,” said an aggrieved passenger.
The Secretary Transport must look into this matter and resume service of ATR bus upto Aerial Bay.
Due to this problem in and around of Ariel Bay people will suffer much much more difficulties.STS Director will take this as serious issue, Because people has right to avail all facilities from STS.
Vry good coverage and wish u all the best to sheekha reporters.
“” Directorate of Transport should act on this Immediately. I think our Area Pradhans are Sleeping. We need to make them awake and tell them go and do their duty “”
Travelling to interisland as per the revised and reduced ATR Convoy is a tiresom affair. The situation is worse for Rangat, Mayabunder and Digliput bound passengers in that order. The problem gets compounded when passengers bound for Ariel Bay are disembarked at Digliput Bazaar. Since after long journey passengers feel too tired and drained of their energy, under such circumstances leaving passengers on the roadside searching for connecting transport is nthing less than inbuman torture.