Commuters in Guwahati faced difficulty on Saturday as private buses and share taxis went on an indefinite strike following scuffle between transport workers and passengers over revised fares.

Office goers, students and the public were stranded at the bus stops with no bus or taxi, official sources said.

Government bus service attempted to ease situation, while auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws charged exhorbitant fares, passengers claimed.

The Coordination Committee of Bus Owners and Share Taxis of Guwahati decided to go off the roads after passengers attacked private transport workers yesterday over fare hike at Narengi, Maligaon and Ganeshguri areas of the city.

The Coordination Committee said that the indefinite strike would continue till the Regional Transport Authority of Kamrup (Metro) district approved the fares of buses and share taxis as decided by it.

“We are disappointed at the role of the RTA. After the transport department fixed the fares of buses and share taxis, it was the duty of the RTA to approve the revised rates.

“Private transporters decided to hike fares when the RTA failed to meet the demands of transporters to officially hike the fares,” All Assam Motor Transport Association secretary general Pradip Das said.

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