Trial run of Shillong-Dhaka bus service
SHILLONG: A proposed bus service to Dhaka has brought division between Assam and Meghalaya with the two states going in diametrically opposite directions on the issue of trial run of the bus.
It was reported recently that while the Shillong-Dhaka (via Sylhet) bus service was the concept of Meghalaya Government, Assam suddenly came into picture and took initiative to carry out the trial run of the bus service on December 8.
When asked about the development, the State Transport Minister HDR Lyngdoh told reporters recently that he and the Chief Minister would seek the intervention of the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure that the bus service is initiated through proper channel as the Meghalaya Government had all along been pursuing the matter with Bangladesh.
“If Assam wants to inaugurate the bus service, let them do it in Guwahati, but we will see that our Chief Minister inaugurates the bus service in Meghalaya,” Lyngdoh said.
As per reports, it was due to the lack of proper initiative on the part of some senior Transport department officials of Meghalaya Government Assam entered the scene.
Assam took steps to start the trial run of the bus service as per the directive of Vijay Chibber, Secretary, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highway during the North East Connectivity Summit held in Guwahati on November 28. However, earlier no Assam official attended the joint inspection carried out by the officials of the Customs department, Police, BSF and MTC in Dawki in 2013. Moreover, it was the Meghalaya Transport department which had prepared the ground work including the concept paper.
Concerned over the development, Lyngdoh said that he was ready to go to Dhaka to ensure that Meghalaya has a greater role to play in the bus service.
“We are yet to purchase the required bus for the bus service to Dhaka, and moreover, we have not fixed any date for the trial run as first we have to identify check points ( both entry and exit) which will act as a mechanism to prevent influx”, he added.
