DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, Aug 29: Demanding long chassis STS buses the students of Ramnagar today organized Chakka Jaam at Ramnagar Gram Panchayat at Diglipur.
Ramnagar, which is a model village as per Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), is situated 35 Km from Diglipur bazaar.
About 250 students of GPS & GSS study here in two different schools, many among them travel by bus but due to lack of long chassis STS buses the STS is presently providing only short chassis buses in the region. As per students these short chassis buses are of no use as the small bus fails to accommodate all students.
This morning, fuming students stopped the buses of 7.50 AM and 9 AM and also blocked the road for few hours.
After assurance from the police and STS department to start the long chassis bus from tomorrow they the Chakka Jamm was withdrawn.
Diglipur STS division presently has 23 buses, out of which 10 are long chassis while 13 are short chassis buses.
These buses are operated in five different routes like Mayabunder, Ramnagar, Hathi level, Khudirampur and Lamia Bay. All routes are individual routes and not meet with each other like other Islands.
Speaking to Andaman Sheekha the Pradhan Ramnagar Shri Swapan Biswas said that Diglipur STS Division is deprived of proper buses since long long time.
“This sub division is having about 50,000 populations is the third largest Unit in these Islands after Port Blair and Rangat. Transport Division acquires 28 new long chassis bus recently. Since 2008 Diglipur unit got only 2 long chassis bus this year while Baratang which is having 22 KM road got 2 new buses and Hutbay which is having 42 KM road got 4 new buses where as Diglipur 95KM road got only 2 new buses. Apart from this Ferrargunj unit got 3 new buses and Rangat unit got 3 new buses,” the Pradhan said.
During the last visit PRI members also had requested the Chief Secretary to provide long chassis buses for Diglipur region. Diglipur Unit which is the highest revenue generator for STS department now needs more long chassis buses.
