Locals Clash with Bus Drivers Over Smart Buspark Operations in Sunsari

Sunsari. Tension has arisen between local residents and bus drivers over the management of buses within the Smart Buspark located in Sundarbasti, Dharan-8, barely two and a half months after its operation. Bus operators had moved the buses back to Bhanuchok, leading local residents to protest and block the road on Thursday morning. The locals demand that all types of buses, small and large, should operate within the Smart Buspark. A minor dispute between local residents and bus drivers during the road obstruction escalated into a physical altercation. Acting Mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, Aindra Bikram Begha, arrived at the scene to discuss the demands of the protesting locals. Begha has called for a discussion and negotiation with locals, business operators, and stakeholders at the city hall at 1 PM on Thursday. According to Acting Mayor Begha, bus operators moved the buses back to Bhanuchok citing the need to pick up and drop off passengers for buses traveling east to Birtamod and west to Biratnagar from Bhanuchok. "The problem arose because the operators and the buspark management could not reach an agreement," said Begha. Despite repeated discussions between the sub-metropolitan city, bus operators, and locals regarding the management of buses within the buspark after its operation, the problem has not been resolved. The Smart Buspark, inaugurated on Asar 13, had been fully operational since Shrawan 1.