GMC workers demolish encroachments at Ganeshguri on Tuesday. Picture by Eastern Projections

July 18: The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), with the help of police, today cracked down on the unauthorised bus bays and bus stops in the city.

“This drive to remove unauthorised bus stops is also part of the ongoing drive against encroachments on roads and drains. Today, we evicted an illegal bus bay that had come up near Bengali High School in Paltan Bazar. The drive will continue to remove more such bus stops on the main roads,” said GMC commissioner Rajesh Prasad.

Minibuses to places like Boko, Palasbari, Chaigaon, Hajo and Sonapur used to ply from the stop.

The commissioner said the corporation removed the bus stops on the basis of public complaints that besides disturbing the academic atmosphere of the Bengali High School, it was also encouraging anti-social activities.

Prasad said there were also complains that such unauthorised bus stops were causing inconvenience to the public as well as traffic congestion.

Sources said many of the illegal bus stops have come up because of the police’s inaction.

Normally, the distance between two bus stops in the city should be between .3 km and 1.5 km. “Here, the stops are so close to one another that the buses seldom get the chance to pick up speed. This, besides keeping most of the stops cramped with buses, causing traffic jams, also slows down the pace of traffic movement,” an official said.

The metro administration and city police had planned to do away with 60 to 64 city bus stops and to construct bus bays in different parts of the city. While construction of one bus bay is under way on the GNB Road, no action had been taken to bring down the number of bus stops.

“The eviction drive that started today would remove all illegal bus stops, thereby reducing the number. The drive would not be successful without the cooperation of city police, transport department and more importantly, the commuters and public,” Prasad said.

The eviction drive would be carried out at prime and busy areas such as Fancy Bazar, Panbazar, Machkhowa, Ganeshguri and Bhangagarh where encroachment on roads and drains is rampant. The drive is aimed at beautifying the city before the Natioal Games, scheduled to be held in the city in October.

The superintendent of police (traffic), R.K. Baruah, and other senior officials were also present during the eviction drive.