A deluxe bus follows a Rhino bus on a city street on Monday. Picture by S.H. Patgiri

April 11: The state government is thinking of withdrawing the deluxe bus service from the city as it has failed to yield the desired results.

The government will replace the 250-odd deluxe buses with more Rhino service buses and hike the minimum fare to Rs 3 for all city buses.

Confirming the developments, transport minister Anjan Dutta said: ?It is part of our efforts to streamline the city bus service. But nothing is official about it as yet. We are just processing the proposal seriously.?

Dutta said the move is being considered following increasing complaints that the deluxe bus service, introduced by the erstwhile AGP government under the self-employment scheme, has failed to satisfy the commuters despite a minimum fare of Rs 5.

There are around 1,200 city buses, of which 176 operate under the Assam State Transport Corporation and the rest under the aegis of four associations ? The Guwahati Transport Association, The Greater Guwahati United Motor Transport Association, The Deluxe Bus Association and The Greater Guwahati Mini Bus Association.

?We either hear of drivers not adhering to the stipulated stops or of commuters being harassed. The latter, unfortunately, never lodge formal complaints. We tried to be tough and seized 18 buses, but it did not help matters much. We feel it would be better to do away with the service and, instead, have one service with a minimum fare to Rs 3,? Dutta added.

On the Rhino bus service run by the Assam State Transport Corporation, the minister said given its popularity and comfort, more such buses would be introduced.

?Since the ASTC cannot have its own fleet, we will encourage private operators to run the service under our corporation,? Dutta said.

The move evoked mixed response from private operators.

Guwahati Transport Association secretary Pradip Das welcomed the move to withdraw the deluxe bus service, but was not in favour of introduction of more Rhino buses. He feels it will ?kill? the general city bus service and compound existing traffic.

Das felt that there was no marked difference between the deluxe and other bus services as the drivers and staff had not been trained differently.

As for the rhino bus service, he said there was no need to increase the number of these buses as they were essentially for the women and handicapped persons. Besides, the move would adversely affect the business of the self-employed, such as trekker services.

Das also felt that the government?s move would increase traffic chaos. ?Frankly, we don?t have the infrastructure like wide and good roads to support this service.?

Office-bearers of the deluxe bus association were not available for comments, but sources in the association said they were unhappy with the government move.