SYLHET, Jan 1: The town bus service in Sylhet got stumbled down with only 9 vehicles plying on only 2 routes where as 35 vehicles were pressed on 9 routes, connecting the city with suburban destinations years ago.
Even it would face closure any time, if more buses are not added and further attention is not given to streamline the service, management sources said.
The town bus service was first approved for 10 routes for the commuters on March 26 of 2008 by a group of transport owners.
The routes from the city were for Jalalpur, Hetimganj, Hajiganj, Tukerbazar, Lalabazar, Kamalbazar, Bagha, Bateswar and Bateswar etc. But, presently the service is on with Hetimganj and with Hajiganj-Moglabazar routes.
At the beginning the service drew much response from the commuters, especially the traders, students and low and middle income group people as there had been a serious crisis of transports during the caretaker regime.
But, in only 8 years, it started losing attraction due to irregular timetable, poor quality vehicles and lack of coordination. The drivers and staff are not sincere in maintaining the service properly.
The management was now thinking to wind up the service, if steps were not taken immediately, owners association sources said.
Lack of Parking place, passengers shed and traffic jam caused schedule break, declining the passengers, they alleged.
Town Bus Owners Association's president Ziaul Kabir said the owners have lost interest in the service due to minimum facility, already most of the routes had been shut. We are just continuing the service on 2 routes, he said, indiscriminate permission for human hauler has caused much for the service.
The city mayor had assured of taking steps for reshuffling the service, but nothing could be done as he was suspended and went to jail, he added.
Two years ago the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) initiated for a fresh commuter service while a Dhaka-based group agreed providing 100 buses. But the move couldn't be proceeded for reasons, SCC sources informed.
We have taken a fresh move with a Dhaka-based firm and soon a meeting with the owners group would be arranged for fund arrangement and pressing 100 new buses for different routes, the city mayor informed.
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