Guwahati: The Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) has launched an initiative to use its non-operational buses in business ventures to promote alternative business models and support aspiring entrepreneurs.
Pallab Lochan Das, a former MP and ASTC chairman, on Friday inaugurated a converted food-vending bus, previously in non-operational condition, under the title “Rhino Food Express” at the Inter-State Bus Terminal in the city.
The initiative aims to repurpose dormant buses for innovative business ventures such as food trucks, pharmacies, private chambers and additional enterprises.
Under this initiative, entrepreneurs can lease these non-functional buses for a five-year period and pay a monthly rental fee to ASTC. Approximately 60 buses, which are no longer commercially viable, will be available for transformation across different districts in Assam. The buses will feature the iconic Rhino logo, symbolizing strength and resilience.
“Numerous buses of the corporation have been lying non-operational. We contemplated reusing these buses differently. The corporation resolved in a meeting to convert the non-operational buses as venues for alternative businesses,” Das added.
He added that entrepreneurs could approach ASTC to utilise these buses for various business purposes, including salons, restaurants, or doctors’ chambers.
ASTC Managing Director Chinmoy Prakash Phookan highlighted that the initiative will encourage entrepreneurship, open up new avenues for income generation, and contribute to ASTC’s financial growth.
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He added that entrepreneurs can lease these buses for a five-year duration.
The program aligns with ASTC’s commitment to sustainable growth and improving Assam’s public transportation system, while also stimulating local economies.
