With the drivers of private travel agenices on indefinite strike, bus counters in Itanagar wear a deserted look

Itanagar, Aug. 12: Private bus operators and passengers are keeping their fingers crossed over the resumption of bus services in Arunachal Pradesh which came to a halt after an indefinite strike by the drivers of private travel agencies since Wednesday.

The drivers went on strike after criminals beat up one of them following the death of an auto-rickshaw driver.

Buses are the most preferable mode of public transport for passengers travelling to Assam and Nagaland.

Trouble began after Rakesh Rai, 28, an auto-rickshaw driver, met with an accident at the Chandranagar parking lot on July 15.

Sources said Rai was knocked down by a bus while he was trying to board it. Injured and profusely bleeding, Rai was rushed to the nearby R.K. Mission Hospital in the same bus. Rai later died in the hospital.

A case was registered against the driver of the bus, A. Giri, at Itanagar police station. Giri was arrested but later released on bail on August 7. Some goons beat him up after he was released.

President of the Arunachal Tourism Omi Bus Welfare Association, C.B. Dolo, said, “It is a double loss for both the owners and passengers. Not only are the passengers suffering, but the private bus owners are bearing the brunt.”

The secretary of the Omni Bus Welfare Association and owner of Network Travels, Naharlagun, Techi Hare, said the bus operators have received threats from the relatives of the man who died in the accident.

A private travel agency owner condemned the incident saying, “It is very unfortunate that some criminals have threatened us with dire consequences if we resume bus services.”

Most of the other private travel agency owners, however, preferred to remain tight-lipped on the incident.

The drivers of private buses are staging protests in Banderdewa since the past three days against the alleged threats by the hoodlums.

“We don’t want to take any risks. We would continue with our suspension of work,” a driver said.

A private tour operator, however, blamed the drivers for the situation.

A passenger, upset with the stalled bus services, said it was high time the government should intervened. “We are suffering a lot because of the suspension of work by drivers of private travel agencies,” he said.