Promised facilities at bus sheds elude city travellers

Guwahati: Newly constructed bus sheds across Guwahati, which were hailed as a step toward modernising public transport infrastructure, are drawing sharp criticism from residents over poor maintenance and unfulfilled promises. Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), which had launched the initiative with much fanfare, now finds itself under fire for failing to ensure basic upkeep and delivery of key amenities. A year after GMC announced the installation of modern bus sheds across 45 locations in the city under a Rs 300 crore project, residents have raised serious concerns over the absence of promised facilities and poor on-ground execution.The project launched with the intention of revamping public transport infrastructure, promised state-of-the-art bus stops, equipped with CCTV cameras for public safety, bus information panels and detailed route maps for the assistance of the daily commuters. However, residents said that the sheds do not offer any of these features. "It is really dangerous to travel at night. These modern infrastructures have been built for public convenience, which is good, but if there are no safety measures in place, then what's the point?," Nabamita Das, a daily commuter, said. Many commuters echoed her concerns, highlighting the poor maintenance of the sheds. They said in areas like Six Mile and Maligaon, the sheds are in a neglected state, with little to no upkeep.Meanwhile, passengers, particularly college students and newcomers to the city, face significant hurdles in navigating Guwahati's public transport system. "The absence of these basic information not only causes delays but also discourages new passengers from relying on city's bus services," said Anil Kakoti, a college student. When questioned about the missing amenities, GMC mayor Mrigen Sarania initially said there were no such plans for facilities like CCTV cameras or route maps at the bus sheds. However, he later clarified that the matter would be taken up in an upcoming review meeting. "Whatever was agreed upon will be implemented as per the terms. Within a day or two, these concerns will be addressed during the review," he added.