STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Private city bus operators in Guwahati expressed deep concern as the government moved ahead with its decision to prohibit diesel-run buses on two major city routes from January 1. The upcoming shift to electric and CNG vehicles on the Khanapara-Dharapur and Basistha-Amingaon stretches left hundreds of drivers unsure about their future earnings and long-term livelihood.
The district transport department already stopped renewing permits for diesel buses operating on these routes, leading to rising frustration among bus owners and drivers. Many claimed they were left without sufficient time or financial capacity to transition to cleaner vehicles.
One driver said he had been left in distress after his permit renewal was rejected. He stated that he and others were forced to choose between investing in expensive electric buses and meeting their household expenses. Another operator said that even now, drivers struggled to make ends meet due to competition from green buses already running on the same routes.
Several bus operators questioned why only private buses were being made to undergo the shift. They argued that if the objective was to reduce emissions, all diesel-powered vehicles should be brought under the same policy without exceptions.
Officials from the transport department clarified that the initiative formed part of a broader programme under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme to cut urban pollution and encourage the use of renewable energy. According to the department, nearly 300 diesel buses operated in the city, alongside 256 electric and 100 CNG buses. They added that displaced diesel buses would be assigned to alternative city routes once the green corridors became fully operational.
Despite the clarification, private operators said the plan risked removing them from the most profitable routes and forcing them into costly upgrades they could not afford. With the deadline drawing near, many drivers called on the government to provide subsidies, extend the implementation date, or revise the directive to avoid financial distress for hundreds of families dependent on the transport sector.
Also read: Assam Aims for Green Public Transport; Diesel Buses to Exit Guwahati by 2026