Stepping towards a pollution-free Assam, Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha on Friday flagged off Assam’s first bus operated by compressed natural gas (CNG) at Dibrugarh.

Dibrugarh is the first district in Assam to have a CNG-operated bus service.

The bus, owned and operated by the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), will ply from Dibrugarh town to Mulukgaon under Chabua revenue circle of the district.

Stating it as a historic moment, the Dibrugarh deputy commissioner (DC) said CNG is the future of energy and with the introduction of CNG-operated bus service in the district, Dibrugarh has taken its first step towards a pollution-free transport system.

Also read: Assam’s first CNG station launched in Dibrugarh

He also stated that efforts are on to introduce more such buses in the district in the near future.

The inaugural programme was held at the ASTC campus of Chowkidinghee in Dibrugarh town.

The event was also attended by additional DC Ranjit Konwar; ASTC chief engineer Bolin Das; chief commercial manager of ASTC Muruli Bora; divisional superintendent of ASTC, Tinsukia Division, Mitradev Changkakoti and Dibrugarh DTO Sadananda Gogoi among others.

At the same event, the Dibrugarh DC also inaugurated the city bus service in Dibrugarh by flagging off two ASTC buses.

The buses will ply between BCPL main gate to AMCH, with each bus expected to accomplish five trips per day along the said route.

City bus service has been a long standing demand of Dibrugarh citizens. It is expected that the city bus service will help the citizens of Dibrugarh in communication.

Dibrugarh is the first city in the Northeast to have introduced city bus service in 1956 on the Marwaripatty-Barbari route with a fleet of five buses.

“Now, Dibrugarh roads have become congested and lots of three wheelers are plying daily in Dibrugarh town causing immense problem for the residents. We are happy that city bus service has been reintroduced in Dibrugarh,” said Pollav Chakravortty, a resident of Dibrugarh.

The last time city buses plied in the town was in 2013 after a long hiatus when the ASTC started plying two buses. However, for unknown reasons, the buses were taken off the roads within a couple of months.