The Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) has appealed to the stranded people to register for the inter-state bus journey only once per person, instead of doing so though multiple numbers.
ASTC officials said owing to the lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19, thousands had been left stranded within the state. Hence, the transport department had opened up a window for travel permission till May 2 for these people.
However, many people are applying for tickets through online forms and the helpline number 104 to book for just one person, which was posing a hurdle.
ASTC chairman Ashok Kumar Bhattarai urged the applicants to use only one number to book tickets. “Any person who uses multiple numbers to book tickets and their tickets are confirmed in all cases, should inform the ASTC. This will enable us to take immediate steps to issue the unused tickets for somebody else,” he added.
He said those who, after receiving their e-tickets, decide not to undertake the journey as well as those persons who have completed their journey through other means, should also inform the administration. He hoped for cooperation from everybody in this regard.
The applicants can inform the ASTC about ticket cancellation on the helpline numbers through WhatsApp. The numbers (6026901061, 6026901062, 6026901063, 6026901064 and 6026901065) are only for those who have registered on 104 for availing of the bus service.
Earlier, ASTC managing director Anand Prakash Tiwari said, “Those who have registered on 104 can send a WhatsApp message on these numbers and get their issues resolved.”
Tiwari also mentioned that one could call on toll-free number 18003453986 to check their travel details.
The Assam government on Monday extended the inter-district travel till May 2 and said people stranded in various parts of the state could still apply for permission to travel.
In Guwahati, the Paltan Bazar bus stand, Machkhowa, ISBT (inter-state bus terminus) and Adabari have been fixed as the designated boarding points, while in other districts, the boarding point will be the ASTC bus stations at district headquarters.
