Bhawanipatna: Private bus operators in 14 districts of Odisha announced a 24-hour strike beginning Monday evening, opposing buses being run under a state government scheme to connect blocks to district headquarters.
The strike will begin at 6pm Monday and continue till 6pm Tuesday in 14 districts in the western and southern districts of the state, Kalahandi Private Bus Owners’ Association president Prabodh Rath said.
At least 25 private bus owners’ associations will join the strike, he said.
“We don’t want to create problems for commuters. However, for our livelihood, we have called the strike opposing the state government’s decision to run LAccMI buses from blocks to district headquarters,” he added.
Western and Southern Odisha Private Bus Owner’s Association convenor Pravin Khamari said that although initially LAccMI buses were meant to run between panchayats and blocks, on the contrary, they were running services between blocks and district headquarters and that too at a subsidised fare.
“The private buses which have valid route permits are facing acute financial losses because of it,” he said.
Khamari said if the government does not act even after the strike, the agitation will be intensified.
The strike is likely to affect bus services in Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Bolangir, Subarnapur, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sundargarh and Deogarh during the Durga Puja.
Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said the state government was committed to providing affordable bus services to the people.
He said a meeting has been convened with representatives of bus operators Monday morning to discuss their issues.
PTI