NBSTC

NBSTC to resume Cooch Behar-Guwahati bus service

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 3: The North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) may resume its passenger bus service along Cooch Behar-Guwahati route within a month. Prior to that they will ask the state government of Assam to extend adequate security measures for the passengers.

 

It was learnt that there was a plan to resume the Cooch Behar-Guwahati bus service from 27 October of this year. The popular service has been lying defunct for the last five years due to some problems related with rules over issuance of permits. Recently, both sides had agreed to sort out the problems. Accordingly, the authorities in West Bengal and Assam chalked out simplified permit rules. It was decided that the plying of NBSTC buses between Cooch Behar and Guwahati would resume from 27 October. But, the plan had to be shelved following some militant activities like blasts and violent incidents inside Assam.

 

It may be mentioned here that though the Cooch Behar-Guwahati service has been lying defunct for the last five years the Cooch Behar-Dhubri and Cooch Behar-Bongaigaon services are going on uninterruptedly. Now, the NBSTC authorities came out again to resume the long defunct service upto Guwahati.

 

A senior NBSTC official hoped that the service might resume within a month if things go in right direction. "While we are asking the Assam government to extend security for the passengers we will also arrange adequate security for them as it is our responsibility too", he said. After resumption of the much-awaited service the roadway communication between West Bengal and Assam will be smoother again, the NBSTC official added. []