The Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) will be prepared with ample number of buses ready for deployment at anytime of need.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Anand Prakash Tiwari said the ASTC has shut its services in the state based on the government directions.

However, the ASTC is also prepared to tackle any emergency during the ongoing situation.

“The ASTC will respond to the calls made by the health department at any time,” he added.

A statement by the transport department stated that the department has taken a slew of measures to help the passengers during the outbreak.

The statement further added, “Most taxis, Ola, Uber services have been off the roads due to decisions taken by various players and associations not to operate vehicles to make people safer from coronavirus. In this situation, the ASTC has given more than 500 buses covering various airports and railway stations to provide transportation to people and to avoid public inconveniences at airports and railway stations.”

The ASTC has received passengers of 20 trains and 160 flights and approximately 16,000 people who arrived by air and 12,000 people who arrived by rail were assisted from various airports and railway stations of state.

ASTC officials received these passengers from Guwahati and provided them transport to Barak Valley, Agartala, Shillong, Karbi Anglong, areas in central Assam, north Assam, Upper Assam and lower Assam.

Several buses were provided and stationed at Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta Road, Nalbari, Rangia, Guwahati, Kamakhya, Lumding, Jorhat, Nazira, Mariani, Sonari, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia railway stations.

Similar services were provided at each station of northern Assam.

Each railway station and airport had only one exit point so that all passengers could be screened. After completing the screening, medical check-up and other due formalities, the passengers were transported to their respective destinations.

Tiwari said the drivers and conductors of each buses sanitised themselves before and after each journey. Now after the completion of all the journeys, the buses have been stationed at their respective parking lots.

All the employees were given all the needed medical assistance and have been now asked to maintain proper hygiene and self quarantine at their homes as a precaution.