The Silchar-Haflong bus service on NH-27 remains suspended after authorities raised safety concerns, prompting bus owners and drivers to seek Assam minister Krishnendu Paul’s intervention before Durga Puja, when passenger movement between the Barak Valley and Dima Hasao is expected to increase.
The operators submitted a memorandum to Paul seeking permission to resume services that were suspended on September 8. The route had begun operating after the Dolaichungga flyover near Harangajao opened on NH-27, but the service was halted barely a week later on the instructions of the authorities.
The bus service connected Silchar with Haflong and adjoining areas at a fare of Rs 200 per passenger. Its suspension has caused inconvenience for commuters travelling between the Barak Valley and Dima Hasao, while also affecting bus owners and drivers who depend on passenger transport for their income.
According to the operators, they had obtained the required permits and complied with transport department regulations. They also maintained that the highway was suitable for passenger vehicles and that their drivers followed traffic and safety rules. Haflong authorities, however, cited passenger safety when the service was suspended.
The dispute places the operation of public road transport on the NH-27 stretch at the centre of the issue. For commuters, the route provides a link between two important parts of southern Assam, while for operators, the suspension has halted regular earnings and disrupted their ability to meet household expenses and repay loans.
“Without regular earnings, we are struggling to meet household expenses and pay monthly loan instalments,” the operators said in their memorandum. They said the loss of service had left bus owners and drivers in financial distress because passenger transport was their only source of income.
The operators have specifically asked the authorities to review the restrictions and allow buses to resume on NH-27. They also pointed to the approaching Durga Puja period, when travel between Silchar, Haflong and nearby areas generally becomes more important for passengers. The material available does not indicate whether the minister or transport authorities have approved the request, or whether additional safety measures have been proposed before a decision on restoring the service.
