Sadiya, Oct 18: Day and night bus operators plying between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have launched an indefinite protest at the Sadiya–Shantipur border, disrupting services to Roing, the headquarters of Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district.
On Saturday morning, drivers and handymen of all buses arriving from Lower Dibang Valley halted operations at the Shantipur check gate on the Assam side, demanding an end to alleged illegal collections imposed by certain groups along the route.
Speaking to reporters, Bitu Sharma, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Day and Night Bus Association, said that each bus is compelled to pay an illegal ‘tax’ of Rs 15,000 to certain organisations, adding to the operators’ financial burden.
“They are extorting money from buses plyi