GUWAHATI: In addition to being in a grave financial situation, the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) has faced loss of at least Rs 106 crore in a single fiscal year.
Parimal Suklabaidya, the state's transport minister, addressed the state Assembly on Wednesday and brought attention to the issue of ASTC. For the past few years, there have been much fewer buses on the road. The company is unable to operate its buses in various regions of the state.
A minimum of 321 buses have been waiting in the terminal for repairs, but the company is unable to pay for the necessary maintenance.
"In 2021–22, ASTC earned Rs 80.19 crore, but the net expenditure for the same time was Rs 186.73 crore. For paying employee salaries, the corporation needed Rs. 110.21 crore”, Suklabaidya stated.
The corporation lost a total of Rs 82.63 crore in 2019–20, while it lost a total of Rs 97.86 crore in 2020–21. The loss has grown in size for the fiscal years 2021–2022. Just 651 buses are currently operated by the ASTC on various routes throughout Assam.
Meanwhile, the company has developed a mandatory retirement programme to ease the burden of wage payments. Suklabaidya stated, "A list of 132 employees in this regard has already been compiled."
Yet according to the Minister, ASTC has so far been able to operate all of its CNG buses.
In an order dated February 9, from the office of the managing director of the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), it was mentioned that two buses, AS 20/2359 and AS 20/2378, were observed as a part of the surprise checking by the vigilance team. As per reports, all of the new buses running on compressed natural gas (CNG) in Guwahati remained at ISBT, Garchuk, as the drivers and conductors refused to return to duty after two of their colleagues were sacked following a surprise check.
A vigilance team conducted a surprise check in two CNG buses on the orders of state transport minister Parimal Suklabaidya to ensure strict compliance with issuing tickets to passengers.
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