NST drivers raise concerns over lack of new buses in Nagaland

May 12, 2023 21 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 12

The Nagaland State Transport (NST) has had a crucial role in providing services to the State and the citizens, particularly during emergency situations.

The most recent being the involvement of several buses along with drivers in bringing back 1229 stranded State’s civilians from violence-hit Manipur on May 7-10 under the 1st phase of the “Operation Kohima Calling.”

Speaking to a local media outlet after reaching Kohima on Sunday after the 1st phase on May 7, the NST government drivers raised some crucial concerns on procurement of new buses by the State Government and the resultant challenges.

The drivers acknowledged their gratitude for being in government jobs and stated their willingness to serve any duties assigned to them but noted the lack of adequate resources could hinder the ability to perform their tasks.

More specifically, a driver maintained that procurement of new buses has decreased especially since 2014.He further informed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, they also performed continuous duty for three months ferrying returnees and other stranded citizens.

“After the situation improved, we were hoping that the State government would do something for the NST dept but nothing has come of it till now,” the driver noted.

“Though we exist and continue to do our duties, the State Government seems to be acting as if we don’t and not taking any action or relieving the plight of its citizens or the department,” he noted, calling it “discouraging.”

The drivers, meanwhile, underscored that as employees of Nagaland Government, they are ready to serve anywhere during emergent situations without any hesitation, just like the situation in Imphal.

However, while the roads to Imphal are relatively shorter and good, they wondered what would be the case if similar situations occur in far-away places of Nagaland where there is bad road connectivity.

The NST vehicles to ferry in such conditions are limited, putting huge risks to passengers as well as themselves, they said.

“We are committed and won’t hesitate to perform our duties, but if the vehicles break down or are not in good conditions, there would be nothing much we can do,” they implied.

Accordingly, to avoid such situations, they opined and requested that the State Government should at least buy a new fleet of 20-30 buses so that when faced with such circumstances in the future, there would be no hurdles in undertaking their duties.

NST’s fleet strength at 177, most ‘over-aged’
The drivers’ concerns are not unreasonable and can be inferred from the Annual Administrative Report 2022-23 of the Transport Department, Nagaland.

As per the report, the total fleet strength of the NST stood at 177, with which the entire operational activity of the Department is carried out.

The fleet included 4 buses under body construction which are expected to be put on the road by June 2023, along with 2 recovery vans, one dumper truck, one winger, and a mobile van.

It further informed that the department also phased-out 64 buses by way of condemnation.

After phasing out of 64 buses, the fleet “comprises more over-aged buses which need to be replaced for safe and efficient operation of the services towards better service delivery to the public as well as to improve physical and revenue performance of the Department,” it highlighted.

Meanwhile, in the ‘Service Operations,’ the Report informed that the Department presently operates services on 213 Notified Routes and 519 Scheduled Services including the City/Pink Bus Services of Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung and Mon.

However, out of the 213 routes, the Department could operate only on 123 routes with a route length of 11065 KMs with 220 Scheduled Services covering 20,665 KMs daily which includes Inter-State Service connecting Imphal (Manipur) from Dimapur and Kohima, it said.

The Department further emphasised that while it has established network of services connecting to all the district headquarters except Niuland, making access to the most interior areas of the State where road connectivity exists, problems persist.

Due to operation of the services with aged buses, reliability of the services has declined in view of frequent suspension of the daily scheduled services for want of healthy buses coupled with bad road condition attracting wide-spread public complaints and criticisms in addition to revenue shortfall, it added.