Nearly 500 passengers were stranded at Guwahati’s Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on Thursday evening as authorities struggled to make arrangements for safely transporting travellers arriving from different cities into Assam.
“There is total chaos outside the terminal building. We have got only four ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) buses when we need at least 10. I have made several requests to District Commissioner of Kamrup distict, MD of ASTC as well as the police top brass requesting for more buses as well as police personnel to escort passengers to Paltan Bazaar [in Guwahati]. Safe transportation of passengers is a law and order issue,” Airport Director Ramesh Kumar told The Hindu.
Nearly 200 passengers were ferried by the four buses sent to the airport.
According to the official, “five to six” flights were cancelled at the airport. He maintained that inside the airport building passengers were being looked after. “We have provided drinking water and refreshments and ensured functioning toilets. But there is complete chaos at the city side (outside the terminal building).”
Earlier in the day, airlines cancelled all flights to Dibrugarh as passengers were unable to reach the airport.
“Passengers have been evacuated in a phased manner. The temporary suspension of operations on December 12 is being closely monitored,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation posted on Twitter. IndiGo operated an Airbus A320 from Dibrugarh to Kolkata to evacuate passengers.
