Bhubaneswar: In a major relief to lakhs of daily passengers across Odisha, the proposed statewide indefinite private bus strike scheduled for June 10 has been temporarily deferred.
The decision followed a high-level meeting on Friday between representatives of the All Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association (AOPBOA) and State Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur.
While the suspension provides temporary breathing room for travellers—particularly in rural and semi-urban areas reliant on private transit, the association warned that a fresh statewide agitation will commence after June 30 if their demands are not addressed.
On May 30, the association issued a 10-day ultimatum to the government and submitted memorandums urging immediate intervention.
The 24-Day Ultimatum: Why Operators are Threatening to Strike
The association has now given the state government a strict deadline until June 29 to implement a comprehensive fare revision model. Bus operators argue that despite a recent fractional fare hike introduced by the State Transport Authority (STA) on June 2, running private buses has become financially unviable.
According to AOPBOA General Secretary Debendra Kumar Sahoo, operators have faced crushing overheads for the last six years without a systematic base fare revision. While a mechanism enacted in 2017 mandates an annual review of operational expenses every April, operators claim it has been consistently ignored.
The association is demanding the government recalibrate fares by thoroughly evaluating variables beyond just fuel prices.
Sahoo further stated that the State Transport Authority (STA) will prepare and submit a proposal for bus fare revision based on a comprehensive 14-parameter framework,including rising costs of chassis, body, tyres, engines, fuel, staff wages, insurance, maintenance, and other overheads. The state government will then take a final call after reviewing the submission.
Recent Fare Hike Deemed Insufficient
This development comes shortly after the Odisha government implemented a revised bus fare structure effective June 2, 2026, under an automatic diesel-linked mechanism following increases in diesel prices. Key changes include:
Ordinary buses: Increased from 90 paise to 92 paise per km.
Express buses: From 94 paise to 96 paise per km.
Deluxe buses: From Rs 1.31 to Rs 1.35 per km.
AC Deluxe: From Rs 1.59 to Rs 1.63 per km.
Super Deluxe: From Rs 2.47 to Rs 2.53 per km
