ASTC Leases Out Non-Operational Buses to Promote Alternative Business Models

Guwahati: The Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) has taken an innovative step to explore alternative business models by leasing out 60 non-operational and commercially unviable buses across the state, including Guwahati.

Eight such buses have already been leased out for five years each against a security deposit and monthly rent or a one-time lease and yearly fees. The first bus outlet, an air-conditioned restaurant called Rhino Food Xpress, was inaugurated at the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in Guwahati's Betkuchi.

According to ASTC Chairman Pallab Lochan Das, the goal of this initiative is to repurpose non-operational buses for innovative ventures such as food trucks, pharmacies, private chambers, saloons, beauty parlors, and grocery shops.

"We will lease out the buses to any Indian coming with a solid business proposal that fosters entrepreneurship, creates new income opportunities, and generates additional revenue for ASTC," said Chinmoy Prakash Phookan, ASTC Managing Director. "The condition is that the business venture must be static – at our location or at the applicant's place."

A doctor in Guwahati has applied for a bus to set up a path lab, while a dhaba owner in Kaziranga has secured three buses "to set up suites to give tourists a feel of Kaziranga." There is also a proposal to rent a pharmacy at the ISBT, which attracts a good footfall every day.

According to Phookan, the buses' area is 440 square feet, and renovating them is more cost-effective than building a permanent structure. However, they are not suitable for long-distance travel due to their limited capacity – approximately 1.5km per liter in diesel.

The ASTC chairman mentioned that several interesting proposals have come in so far, and the corporation is optimistic about generating additional revenue through this initiative.