Verified: 28 April 2026 01:30 am IST
Industry: Public Transport (State Road Transport Corporation)
Jurisdiction: Assam, India
Primary Regulator: Transport Department, Government of Assam
Important Safety Warning: Beware of the massive “Refund SMS Scam.” Scammers frequently send SMS or WhatsApp messages stating: “Dear Passenger, your ASTC ticket refund has failed. Please click this link or call our officer immediately to process your money.” This is a scam. Authentic ASTC staff will never send alerts from a personal 10-digit mobile number, nor will they ask you to download screen-sharing apps or pay via personal UPI links.
Level 1: Customer Support (Initial Complaint)
How to complain: Register your complaint (ticket refunds, bus delays, staff behavior) directly via the official online web portal (astc.assam.gov.in), or by calling the centralized customer care toll-free helpline at 1800-345-3986. For specific online reservation and e-ticketing technical support, you must message their dedicated WhatsApp support desks at +91-9854006002 or +91-9854006004. General operational feedback and control room queries can also be sent via email to astccontrol@gmail.com or astc2009@gmail.com.
Availability: The WhatsApp cell, toll-free helpline, and online booking portals operate 24x7. Official Bus Station Enquiry desks operate during standard daytime hours.
Timeline: Standard service requests and refund initiations must be acknowledged immediately. ASTC aims to process online refunds within 7 to 10 working days and resolve standard operational grievances within 7 to 15 working days.
Source Verification: ASTC Official Customer Care Contact Information
Level 2: Internal Escalation (Divisional Superintendent / Managing Director)
Who to contact: If Level 1 support fails, your refund is stalled, or your ticket is closed without a fix, you must formally escalate the issue locally. Submit a written complaint or call the specific Divisional Superintendent of your origin/destination bus depot (e.g., Guwahati, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Nagaon, Bongaigaon, Silchar). If the local division fails to resolve it, escalate directly to the Managing Director at the Corporate Head Quarters (Rupnagar, Guwahati - 781032) via email at astc2009@gmail.com.
Timeline: Under standard administrative guidelines, the Depot or Divisional officers must address and resolve escalated ticketing and service disputes within 15 to 30 days.
Source Verification: ASTC Headquarters & Depot Escalation Directory
Level 3: State Administration & CPGRAMS Portal
Authority: If the ASTC Managing Director rejects your claim or fails to resolve the issue, you must escalate the matter to the Transport Department of the Government of Assam.
Portal/Contact: Because Assam’s Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances natively integrates with the central government’s infrastructure, you must submit your state-level grievance directly via the CPGRAMS Portal (pgportal.gov.in) or by writing to the Chief Minister’s portal at cm.assam.gov.in.
Timeline: Grievances escalated to the state portal are tracked with strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs), legally mandating a formal investigation by the Transport Department and a targeted resolution response within 15 to 30 working days.
Source Verification: Assam State Grievance Integration via CPGRAMS
Level 4: Consumer Court (Legal Action)
Pre-Litigation: Public transport service deficiencies do not require a specialized Ombudsman. The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) via 1915 is your final pre-litigation step if the administrative portals fail to yield a resolution.
Court/Arbitration: If you are aggrieved by unrefunded tickets, severe delays causing financial loss, or gross negligence, you must file a formal complaint with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Assam under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, utilizing the e-Daakhil portal.
Timeline: You must file the case within two years from the date the cause of action (the service failure) arose.
Source Verification: National Consumer Helpline (NCH) Portal
Community Action: Is ASTC refusing to process your cancellation refund via the booking portal, or are you looking for the correct template to escalate a staff misconduct issue to the Rupnagar Headquarters? Reply below (do not share your passwords, bank details, or your exact PNR Numbers), and our community will point you to the right resources!