Blasts cost Rlys dear, hit commuters hard

GUWAHATI, Aug 10: The militants operating in Assam very often target the Railways to get maximum possible publicity, oblivious to the fact that apart from causing huge direct and indirect financial loss to the Railways, their actions cause immense hardship to thousands of passengers whose travel plans go haywire because of disruption of the train services. [AT]

No end to city traffic chaos in sight

GUWAHATI, Aug 11: Traffic management in the city which is chaotic even during normal times is acquiring a nightmarish proportion today for traffic cops as well as vehicle owners. Lack of alternate roads to ease the pressures on existing roads, mushroom growth of vehicles of all types, narrow roads, perennial digging of the roads by Telecom department and traffic diversions due to the flyover constructions at Ulubari and Ganeshguri Chariali, are responsible for this chaos. The decreasing strength of the city traffic police force is another factor in this regard. Not only these, whenever rains occur for even about an hour the roads get submerged making it dangerous for vehicles to manoeuvre too closely to the sides of the roads for fear of those portions caving in without warning any moment. [AT]

Landslides on NH-39
Nagaland, Manipur areas cut off

KOHIMA, Aug 11: Some parts of Nagaland and Manipur were cut off from the rest of the country by road following landslides on National Highway-39, reports UNI. Official sources said here that there were landslides in at least seven places on NH-39 triggered by heavy downpour for the last four days. [AT]

Project for repair of NH fails miserably

NAGAON, Aug 12: The Ministry of Surface Transport had granted Rs 5.69 crore to the PWD (NH) Division under the Special Renewal Programme for the improvement of 26.6 km of NH 37. Accordingly the work was allotted to Mr U C Nahata.
Since the allotment of the work to Mr Nahata in February 2000, he has completed about 44 per cent of the work but now some cracks and holes have been noticed on the recently repaired road. Considering the increasing number of cracks and holes on the newly constructed road, the people of Nagaon have raised questions about the performance of PWD (NH) Division on this project sanctioned by the Ministry of Surface Transport, Government of India. [S]

Students crossing a bamboo bridge on the Hajo-Nalbari road, after the main bridge was washed away by recent floods. The Assam Tribune photo. Click on the photo to visit FLOODS2000 photo Gallery.

'Road stolen'

SHILLONG, Aug 12: In a bizarre incident, a local contractor has lodged a complaint with the police that a road recently constructed by him has been stolen. To prove his innocence inthe matter, the contractor produced the bill for the work as also the cheque he had received on completion of the work. The 'incident' was narrated today by Union IT Minister Pramod Mahajan to highlight the level of corruption the country has sunk into. [AT]

Bomb scare makes trains empty

GUWAHATI, Aug 13 (UNI): The pre-Independence Day bomb scare has made the NF Railway trains empty even as heavy rush has been witnessed in front of all the three airlines. The two back-to-back bomb blasts by the Boro militants near Rangiya last week coupled with the disruption due to flood terrified the railway passengers triggering mass cancellation. Half the compartments of the otherwise crowded trains were literally running empty. [S]

Public guarding bridges along with police

NAGAON, Aug 14: The people of Nagaon, along with police personnel, have been guarding all the bridges on the National Highway 37 from Nagaon town to Raha in view of the militants' threat to indulge in subversive activities during the Independence Day celebrations in the State. [S]

Nona changes course, threatens NH 31

RANGIYA, Aug 16: The lifeline of the north-eastern region as well as the only road link between the region and the rest of the country -- the National Highway 31 is being gravely endangered due to the change of course by the Nona river and the consequent massive erosion during the recent spate of floods at Bhatkuchi near here. [AT]

Exe engineer plays havoc with public money

MANGALDOI, Aug 22: A lot of irregularities have been reported in the Mangaldai NT Road Division under the Public Works Department and already Mr Sanjoy Lohiya, Deputy Commissioner, Darrang has ordered for a magistrate-level inquiry regarding this. Ms Debala Devi Das, Extra Assistant Commissioner of Mangaldai has been asked to conduct the inquiry immediately. [S]

Students crossing a bamboo bridge on the Hajo-Nalbari road, after the main bridge was washed away by recent floods. The Assam Tribune photo. Click on the photo to visit FLOODS2000 photo Gallery.

Vehicles go off Imphal-Moreh sector of NH-39 in protest

IMPHAL, Aug 26: The private vehicles and all kinds of passenger buses and Tata Sumos have stopped plying on the Imphal-Moreh sector of the National Highway 39 in protest against collection of illegal road tax by the suspected NSCN (I-M) cadres. [AT]

NFR stops running of night trains

GUWAHATI, Aug 27 (UNI): The NF Railway authorities have suspended the running of all night trains because of the rising militancy and ultras attacking passenger trains finding them soft targets. [S]

Construction of roads in NE
Works hampered by insurgency, SC ban on tree felling, says BRO

SHILLONG, Aug 27: "Insurgency and Supreme Court ban on felling of trees have come as major impediments to construction of roads and overall development of the north-eastern region," Director General of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Lt Gen AK Puri has said. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, the BRO chief explained that militants in Tripura often take away vehicles and harass the construction workers resulting in disruption of works. Further, consequent upon the apex court ban, the BRO now needs to take clearance from the Ministry of Forest and Environment before a road project can be taken up. "About five-six road schemes are held up on this account," he informed. [AT]

Probe ordered against executive engineer

MANGALDOI, Aug 28: Darrang DC, SK Lohia ordered a magisterial inquiry into allegations against the executive engineer, NH (roads) division, Mangaldoi. Md Mumtazuddin Ahmed's abuse of official position in terms of irregular payment of Rs 10 lakh to contractors for placement of roadside sign boards in Darrang. [AT]

Lumding-Badarpur section
Militancy affects train service

GUWAHATI, Aug 29: The hill section of the NF Railways from Lumding to Badarpur, which serves as the lifeline for the NC Hills district and Barak Valley districts of Assam as well as to the neighbouring States of Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur, has been severely affected by the activities of the militants and at one point of time as many as seven stations were closed down in the section for long periods. [AT]

Rly goods worth Rs 1.60 lakh looted

NORTH JAMUGURI, Sept 2: A group of about 15 to 20 armed miscreants, who came with two trucks, disconnected the telephone connection of the Dhalaibeel rail station under Rangapara railway police station, locked all the employees inside a room, loaded 110 railway sleepers and other materials worth Rs 1.60 lakh in the two trucks and decamped at 12 midnight on August 30, a delayed report received here said. [S]

Militants block national highway

IMPHAL, Sept 3 (PTI): Suspected NSCN (I-M) militants today blocked the Imphal-Moreh National Highway 39, an important trade route, for the second time in the past ten days demanding payment of "road and goods taxes" from the vehicles, official sources said. Sources said, the armed militants prevented vehicles travelling from Imphal to Moreh at Thamnapokpi, about 50 km from here for several hours. [S]

Rabha Hasongs lambast Govt, threaten stir

GOALPARA, Sept 4: In the press meet held on August 28, at the Hotel Pancharatna, the Rabha Hasong Suruksha Parishad, the dominant constituent forming the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council in 1995, lambasted the Assam Government for violation of a series of agreements and promises made to it from time to time, for doing precious little in granting the promised autonomy to the council, and for practising political chicanery on the people, and hold out a threat to a vigorous movement with such programmes as road blockade, picketing, holding of meetings, cycle rallies for one month if their long-standing demands are not met. [S]

Untimely road work makes city life 'hellish'

GUWAHATI, Sept 5: Although there cannot be any valid reason to start any kind of construction work during the rainy season, the Public Works Department (PWD) and other departments concerned have of late developed a practice to start their road construction and drainage projects only after the monsoons start or, when the monsoon is at its peak, for reasons best known to them only. [S]

Barak, 3 States cut off, but no food scarcity

SILCHAR, Sept 6: Traffic on the National Highway-44 which links Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Barak Valley with Guwahati has been suspended since Sunday due to heavy landslides. About 300 metres of the road near Sonapur, 80 km from here, has been cut off for which hundreds of trucks loaded with consumer goods and petroleum products and night and day-service buses with passengers have been stranded. [S]

Landslide at Shillong

SHILLONG, Sept 8: Incessant rainfall has triggered fresh landslides at Sonapur (Point 141,880 km) on the NH-44 linking Jowai with Badarpur. Border Road Task Force (BRTF), which is engaged in clearing the road, told The Sentinel that the highway was expected to be cleared for all vehicular traffic by September 10. [S]

24-hour chakka bandh from Sept 12

GUWAHATI, Sept 8: The Assam Motor Transport Workers' Union, Karbi Anglong district committee has called an 24-hour all Assam chakka bandh from 5 a.m. of September 12 to 5 a.m. of September 13, in protest against police atrocities on two truck drivers in the district recently, a press release said. [S]

Tezpur University facing threat from erosion

TEZPUR, Sept 8: Tezpur Central University (TU), one of the finest products of the Assam Accord, established by an Act of Parliament and formally declared open by the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao on January 21, 1994 at Napaam, 15 km east of Tezpur is today facing serious threat from the erosion caused by river Jiabhorali, one of the major tributaries of river Brahmaputra. Talking to this correspondent, sources said the snapping of the road linking Tezpur University through Pachmile area has brought all the construction activities to a halt as the Pachmile road has been badly damaged and severely eroded by the river Morabhorali, another tributary of Brahmaputra which has recently changed its course. [AT]

Landslide at Shillong

SHILLONG, Sept 8: Incessant rainfall has triggered fresh landslides at Sonapur (Point 141,880 km) on the NH-44 linking Jowai with Badarpur. Border Road Task Force (BRTF), which is engaged in clearing the road, told The Sentinel that the highway was expected to be cleared for all vehicular traffic by September 10. [S]

NDFB mows down 6 including 3 NFR employees

G GOLOKGANJ, Sept 9: The three employees of the Northeast Frontier Railway, who had been killed on the spot when a gang of about 20 to 25 National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) opened fire at them in the dense forest at a place between Tipkai and Monglajhara under Bogoribari police station in Bilasipara subdivision at around 8.30 last night, were identified as -- Mr Tarun Rabha, Mr Dhaneswar Kalita and Mr Sakal Dev. Though the Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel accompanying the railway employees, retaliated the firing, the militants managed to escape unhurt. [S]

120-hr 'oil blockade' from today

GUWAHATI, Sept 10: The proposed 120-hour oil blockade programme of the Dibrugarh District Students' Union from September 11, will affect transportation of crude oil to the five refineries at Digboi, Guwahati, Numaligarh, Bongaigaon and Barauni and gas supply to the Assam State Electricity Board and NEEPCO power plants and the HFCL's fertilizer plants, besides crude oil and gas production of the Oil India Ltd, said an OIL press release here yesterday. [AT]

Villagers repair embankment

PATHSALA, Sept 10: A section of villagers of Bhukamari-Koiharjhar near here have repaired a severely eroded portion of Pahumara embankment near the village after having lost their hope that it might be repaired by the 'finance-starved' State government. [AT]

Waiting for better days: City service buses of Assam State Transport Corporation lying at the ASTC central workshop in Guwahati for repair. Over 200 buses, including long-distance ones, are lying in the workshop, many of these with minor defects. The Assam Tribune photo.

RPF ultras burns down train engine at Jiribam station

IMPHAL, Sept 18: The State authority has beefed up security in and around the sensitive areas of Jiribam sub-division near Assam border following the burning of an Eastern Frontier train engine at Jiribam railway station by some armed youths suspected to be members of proscribed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), on Saturday afternoon. [AT]

150 ASTC employees arrested

JORHAT, Sept 26: One hundred and fifty Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) employees, including women were arrested by Jorhat police when the employees resorted to block the national highway today. Of the 150 arrested employees, 110 were from Jorhat and 40 from Teok. The ASTC employees had called the agitational programme in protest against the State Government's apathy towards their demands. [S]

PWD (R), Morigaon steeped in financial anomalies

MORIGAON, Sept 27: Gross financial irregularities were reported in Public Work Department (PWD) (Road), Morigaon division causing widespread concern among the local people. As per information received, in the (1999-2000) financial year, Rs 63 lakh was sanctioned to PWD(R), Morigaon division as flood damage repairing (FDR), while Rs 26 lakh was given to the same division by the State Government as general repairing fund. Now, the allegation by the local people is that without utilizing the full fund the completion report has been submitted by the PWD(R), Morigaon division. [S]

ASTC employees block GS Road

GUWAHATI, Sept 30: With barely three days left for Durga puja, the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) employees are yet to get their salaries for the last nine months but the State Government seems to be indifferent towards the plight of the employees who have been rendering service defying all odds. Disappointed by the State government inaction in releasing the salaries, over 200 employees today blocked the GS Road for about 25 minutes demanding immediate release of salaries. [AT]

Members of the State Transport Workers Association being arrested by police while trying to block the GS Road on Saturday to protest against non-release of their salaries. The Assam Tribune photo.

A Central University sans proper road link

TEZPUR, Sept 30: It is impossible to imagine a university, that too a Central one, without road communication with the nearest town, but that is actually the position the Tezpur University finds itself in after floods created havoc in the area. [AT]

Rail contracts under cloud SILCHAR, Oct 7: Construction work for upgradation of the 198-km-long Silchar-Lumding metre gauge railway track into a broad gauge line has been jeopardised by a syndicate which has links with a section of surrendered Ulfa (Sulfa) activists. This syndicate is allegedly trying to manipulate the contracts for the Rs 648-crore project in the favour of a particular contractor. [TT]

NFR sounds alert on NDFB threat GUWAHATI, Oct 11: The NF Railway authorities today moved fast to put on alert all officials, employees and security staff to thwart any attempt by the proscribed militant outfit, the NDFB to carry out its threat of blowing up the trains in the State which it had issued yesterday. The NF Railway General Manager, Mr B.M.S. Bisht today told The Sentinel that it was the bounden and sacred duty of the Railways to ensure the safety and security to all its passengers and goods. The NF Railway would not backtrack from its duty to its customers under threat from a militant group, he said. Meanwhile, the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), in a press release, has expressed serious concern over the NDFB's decision to plant bombs at railway tracks and launching subversive activities after October 20. [S]

AAMTA threatens stir from Oct 16

NAGAON, Oct 12: The All Assam Motor Transport Association (AAMTA) threatened to launch a series of agitation from October 16 if the State Government fails to hike the bus fare in the aftermath of the hike in the prices of petrol and petro products by the Centre on September 30. AAMTA secretary Ratul Chandra Sarma said that following the hike in the prices of diesel (from Rs 10.30 in 1997 to 16.97 on September 30, 2000) the bus fare should be hiked by at least 80 per cent. [S]

ASTC workers call for 48 hours strike

GUWAHATI, Oct 14: In protest against the gross violation of the High Court�fs order on September 29 committed by the Assam State Transport Corporation, the workers of the ASTC would go for a 48 hours protest strike from 6 a.m. of October 16 to 6 a.m. of October 18, stated a press release. [S]

48-hour strike by ASTC workers from today

GUWAHATI, Oct 15: Employees of the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) under the banner of the ASTC Workers' Coordination Committee will resort to 48-hour strike from 6 am tomorrow in protest against the violation of the recent High Court judgement directing disbursal of at least one month's salary to employees of the ASTC on or before October 15. The State Transport Workers' Association has also extended its support to the strike. [AT]

Bomb alert on N-E train route

GUWAHATI, Oct 18: Assam today pulled out all stops to counter the National Democratic Front of Boroland's threat to blow up passenger trains from midnight tomorrow. Security was beefed up in all railway stations and along rail tracks. Sniffer dogs were also pressed into service, while anti-sabotage squads began scanning rail tracks with "deep-search" metal detectors. [TT]

Chakka bandh in Arunachal today

ITANAGAR, Oct 22: The All Arunachal Pradesh Transport Federation (AAPTF) has decided to launch a 24-hour chakka bandh throughout the State tomorrow in support of its two-point demands, reports UNI. [AT]

Lakhs spent on broken road, but to no avail

DHEMAJI, Oct 26: Road communication between Dhemaji district and rest of the country through NH No.52 has remained disrupted since July last, after the Jiadhal river floods washed away a stretch of about 2km of the road. The NH department was very busy through the months of July, August and September. [AT]

Govt apathy to repair Samarajan breach resented

DHEMAJI, Oct 31: The bamboo bridge constructed over national highway at Samarajan point, though provided temporary relief to the hardship of the people, but the unlimited fare charged by the owners of the bridge made it impossible for the people to cross it. The role of district administration as a mute spectator only coupled the pain of the commuters. [S]

Rs 4 lakh DRDA fund emlezzlement rocks Khowang Dev Block

DIBRUGARH, Nov 2: More than 150 men and women from the roadside villages of Moran Subdivision of PWD (Roads) under Khowang Development Block in Dibrugarh district staged dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Dibrugarh district on October 30. It is worth mentioning here that millions of rupees got wasted from the fund alloted to DRDA for development works in rural areas. It is alleged that several lakhs of rupees were misappropriated by the departmental Engineers, Development Officers and a section of contractors. [S]

Train services in Lumding-Silchar section hit by ultras

GUWAHATI, Nov 6: Extremist and some extortionist groups have become active in areas under the Lumding-Silchar section of the NF Railway. About 600 officials and employees at 27 stations under this section who are a terrified lot, are learnt to be complying with the extortionist demands of these elements which in turn has affected normal train services in this sector. [S]

Accidents on unmanned level crossings on the rise

GUWAHATI, Nov 8: In recent months, Assam witnessed a number of tragic accidents on the unmanned level crossings of the Railways and in most cases, it was found that the drivers of the vehicles were at fault for the accidents as it is their responsibility to take care before crossing such a level crossing. According to records available, as many as 33 persons have been killed in accidents in Railway level crossings under the NF Railways in the last four years, of which, 18 persons were killed within this year.

Fast-unto-death programme on

GUWAHATI, Nov 9: The State Transport Workers' Association (STWA) fast-unto-death programme demanding revival of Assam State Transport Corporation and payment of unpaid salary for the last 10 months along with five other demands completed three days Thursday. [AT]

Insurgent outfits go on tax collection spree on NH 39

IMPHAL, Nov 10: Armed insurgents, suspected to be members of nine Nagaland based outfits, have started the collection of road, goods and passenger taxes from the vehicles plying between Imphal and Moreh along the NH 39 in a big way. Two months back the insurgents had warned the drivers of all vehicles, including those of the Tata Sumo taxis, to pay the taxes or face the dire consequences. [S]

Cottonians demand silence zone, set deadline

GUWAHATI, NOV 11: The students of Cotton College are demanding the implementation of a one-way traffic zone in front of the college and around the college hostels, on the plea that it is disrupting the educational atmosphere of the college. Moreover, the traffic congested roads pose a great danger to the students, who have to cross the road to reach their various departments, some of which are located in Panbazar and near Dighalipukhri. [NED]

Once upon a time there was a road...

GUWAHATI, Nov 12: At a time when there is much song and dance about developing tourism in Assam, we recently decided to find out how good the road links were between two district headquarters of Assam -- Nagaon and Haflong. The obvious choice was the road from Nagaon via Doboka and Lanka leading on to Kherani and Dehangi which is just 50 km away from Haflong. Part of the road -- up to Doboka -- is National Highway 36. And up to Doboka, the road was bearable. But once we passed Doboka, all that one could say was that once upon a time there must have a road of some kind. [S]

12-hour Bilasipara bandh on Nov 14

GOLOKGANJ, Nov 12: Sapatgram Anchalik Unnayan Parishad called a 12-hour Bilasipara subdivision bandh from 5 a.m. on November 14 in protest against the failure on the part of the State Government to repair the only linking road to Bilasipara which had been badly damaged by the floods this year. [S]

Bilasipara bandh

BILASIPARA, Nov 16: Normal life was paralysed due to the 12-hour Bilasipara Sub-division area bandh yesterday. The bandh was called by the Sapatgram Regional Development Committee demanding restoration of the road link between Sapatgram and Bilasipara which remained snapped for about last four months. [AT]

Even after four months of flood havoc, the bridge near Kalithakuchi on the Guwahati-Hajo-Nalbari road has remained without any repairs. An autorickshaw struggles to cross the bridge over the precariously placed iron girders. The Assam Tribune photo. Click on the photo to visit FLOODS2000 photo gallery.

Only 30% progress achieved in ARIASP road projects

NAGAON, Nov 20: The progress report of World Bank-funded ARIASP road development projects in the State for the month of October published by the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC), an Austrailian consultancy firm appointed by the Centre to monitor the World Bank-aided projects in Assam, revealed that almost all the projects crossed the scheduled time of completion, and in most of the projects the average rate of progress of work was below 30 per cent. Whoever had gone through the progress report of the World Bank-aided projects in Assam for the month of October can guess what will be fate of the projects under the AGP-led four-party coalition Government in the State. [S]

ASTC workers' plight miserable
Fast-to-death completes 18 days

GUWAHATI, Nov 24: Fasting Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) employee, Monikanta Hazarika was attended by his wife and two minor children at the Corporation headquarter at Paltan Bazar today after he refused to be shifted to hospital following deterioration of his health condition. Hazarika along with three other colleagues who are on fast unto death demanding payment of salaries and arrear dues, were advised by the doctor to undergo medical treatment. But they refused to give up fast. [AT]

48-hr chakka bandh from tomorrow

GUWAHATI, Nov 25: The All Assam Motor Transport Association (AAMTA) has given a call for a 48-hour chakka bandh from 5 am of November 27 in protest against the failure of the government to increase the fares of the commercial vehicles despite the hike in the prices of petroleum products. [AT]

Chakka bandh hits commuters

GUWAHATI, Nov 27: The commuters of Assam today suffered immense hardship as the commercial vehicles stayed off the roads in response to a 48-hour chakka bandh call given by the All Assam Motor Transport Association (AAMTA) demanding hike in the fares of commercial vehicles. [AT]

Rebels' extortion demands halt Indo-Myanmar border business

IMPHAL, Nov 27: The Rs 34 crore annual Indo-Myanmar border trade transacted through Moreh in Manipur, has come to a grinding halt since November 6, due to a transporters' strike protesting against the extortion demands they have been subjected to by insurgents on the Imphal-Moreh stretch of National Highway 39. [NED]

Road blockade

DHUBRI, Nov 28: To press for fulfilment of their ten-point charter of demands, the Sapatgram Anchalik Unnayan Samiti has called a road blockade programme between Nayahat and Mahamaya on the National Highway 31 on November 30 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. [AT]

Women call Dhodar Ali blockade stir

JORHAT, Nov 28: The women of Sonari, in a meeting held today at Sonari, decided to block Dhodar Ali for an indefinite period in protest against the failure on the part of the Government to repair the road despite repeated assurances. It may be mentioned that the AASU had had to call off its blockade programme of the road from July 9 following an assurance from the Chief Engineer that the repair of the road would start soon and the funds for the repair had already been approved. Of late, it came to light that the funds for the repair of the road is yet to be approved. [S]

Assam State Transport Corporation workers observing fast unto death in protest against their various demand from Nov.8 at Guwahati. Photo: UB'S PHOTOS, The Northeast Daily.

Driven to hunger and penury

GUWAHATI, Nov 29: Woes faced by the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) employees and their relatives due to the Corporation's failure to pay salaries since the last nine months are beyond human imagination. While the unpaid ASTC employees have been resorting to a fast-unto-death since November 7, their wives and children are running from pillar to post even to have one meal in a day. [S]

Rangiya rly division an 'abandoned' project

GUWAHATI, Nov 29: Fate of the proposed Rangiya railway division is hanging in the balance due to lack of interest shown by the Railway Ministry and political will on the part of political parties of Assam to initiate the actual work of the proposed railway division. Moreover, the Railway Ministry is not considering the Rangiya railway division to be an economically viable project. [S]

Nagaon rly lands encroached by suspected Bangladeshis

NAGAON, Dec 2: There has been large-scale encroachment of the vacant railway land on either side of the Nagaon-Silghat railway track, now lying abandoned, by suspected foreign nationals, thanks to the apathy of the district administration and the NF Railway authorities. The encroachment has been not just in the form of putting up thatched houses, which is well-known preliminary stage of taking over permanent occupation of government lands by the Bangladeshis, it has already reached the stage where one comes across permanent structures for mosques, madrassahs, shops and other business establishments. [S]

WB Transport Minister meets fasting ASTC staff

JORHAT, Dec 2: Though no minister from the State Government could make time to meet the agitating employees of the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), the Transport Minister of West Bengal, Mr Amin Hussain today met the ASTC employees who have been resorting to a fast-unto-death agitation at Jorhat station of the Corporation. The West Bengal Transport Minister, who is in the State to take part in a trade union meeting, read out the demands of the ASTC agitators and assured them of doing whatever he can. It may be mentioned that six employees have already been shifted to the hospital, and the condition of some others is also very critical. [S]

Citizens decry Govt apathy towards ASTC

GUWAHATI, Dec 5: Expressing solidarity with the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) employees, who are on fast-unto-death since the last 28 days in protest against the State Government's failure to fulfil their various demands, several noted citizens, including the widow of the first Chief Minister of Assam Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bardoloi, Ms Surabala Bardoloi, renowned political analyst and freedom fighter, Mr Gauri Shankar Bhattacharjya and poet, Mr Nabakanta Baruah today demanded the immediate intervention of the Governor, Lt Gen (retd) S.K. Sinha to resolve all the outstanding issues to bring the ASTC back on the track. Participating in a citizens meeting, organized by the State Transport Workers' Association (STWA) at the ASTC premises here the noted citizens made the State Government solely responsible for the deteriorating condition of the ASTC. [S]

Sixteen bogies of goods train jump rail

GOLOKGANJ, Dec 11: Sixteen bogies of a goods train coming from Bongaigaon to Dhubri jumped the rail yesterday following which train services remained disrupted till today. [S]

Soil erosion, poor roads, inadequate security anger citizens
Woes and miseries of the people of Sorbhog

BARPETA ROAD, Dec 11: Historically famous for literary and cultural activities of Assam, the Sorbhog Assembly constituency in the northern part of Barpeta district is now a neglected area. Many places of ancient historical importance are now in a sorry state. The people of Sorbhog have alleged that just before election time, the leaders and workers of various political parties visit the area and shed crocodile tears. [S]

AAMTA hikes bus fare by 15 paise/km

GUWAHATI, Dec 12: Without waiting for the State Government's notification, the All Assam Motor Transport Association (AAMTA) has effected a 15-paise hike in bus fares per km following the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products. The Transport Department has, however, termed the bus-fare hike illegal and completely arbitrary. [S}

It's a tout's regime in Guwahati railway station

GUWAHATI, Dec 13: A big racket in extorting substantial amounts of money from hapless railway passengers in lieu of confirmed tickets has been going about with its flourishing business without any let or hindrance, thanks to the NF Railway authorities who will not care less if passengers have had to travel by paying exhorbitant rates to the unscrupulous touts. What is really worrisome is that the racket involves an intricate network with the tout as the kingpin and a section of officials and staff of the NF Railway, down the line, in supporting roles. Obviously, the authorities are not interested to bust it, and would rather prefer to go to sleep by just issuing an advertisement or two in local newspapers, appealing to the travelling public not to purchase tickets from the touts. [S]

Bad road conditions add to ultras' advantage

GOLAKGANJ, Dec 13: The surface communication network in the entire northern part of Dhubri district is in a pathetic condition, and militant groups have taken advantage of this and established firm bases here. According to sources, due to the deplorable condition of roads mainly the Moterjhar to Tamarhat road, Beltoli (Bilashipara)-Lakhiganj, and Rupshi to Dingdinga road, security personnel find it difficult to operate in these areas and hence the activities of these ultras continue unabated. [AT]

STWA withdraws fast-unto-death

GUWAHATI, Dec 19: The State Transport Workers' Association (STWA) today finally withdrew its 41-day-long fast-unto-death strike in protest against the State Government's failure to concede to its eight-point charter of demands following a meeting held between Transport Minister Pradip Hazarika, Managing Director of the ASTC, Ramesh Chand Jain and representatives of the STWA here yesterday evening. [S]

HC directive to ASTC

GUWAHATI, Dec 20: The Gauhati High Court has ordered the management of the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) to pay one month's salary to the employees of the corporation before Magh Bihu. Informing this here today the ASTC Workers' Co-ordination Committee said in a press release the order was passed yesterday by a division bench comprising of Justice JN Sarma and Justice AH Saikia. [AT]

Poor roads, chaotic traffic situation irk AT Road residents

GUWAHATI, Dec 22: Although the Assam Trunk Road (AT Road) area, extending from the Paltan Bazar overbridge point to Bharalumukh police point in the city, has always been one of the most important commercial hubs in the State, the authorities concerned have as yet, not taken up any steps for the overall development of the area. The area, which has seen tremendous growth of automobile shops and business establishments during the last couple of decades, however, lacks basic civic amenities due to the apathetic attitude of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the Kamrup district administration. [S]

Promises aplenty but roads still with potholes

GUWAHATI, Dec 30: No doubt there are still several broken roads and several more ramshackled bridges all over the State. But the State Public Works Department (PWD) promises year 2001 to be different. [AT]