Indefinite Private Bus Strike Begins Across Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Around 17,000 private buses stayed off the road across the state following an indefinite strike by the All Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association which began at 6 AMon Wednesday.

Hundreds of passengers were found stranded at the bus stands across the state due to the strike.

The Association took a decision to this effect at its executive committee meeting here on Tuesday night after its talks with the Commerce and Transport Minister Nrusingha Sahu remained inconclusive.

“Out of our 14-point charter of demands, the state government agreed to fulfil most of the demands. But as our main demand is change in route of city buses, we wanted to have a meeting with the Urban Development minister. Since the Urban Development minister was not present yesterday, the Commerce and Transport Minister said the Urban Development minister will have a meeting with us at 11 AM tomorrow. In this connection, we had an executive body meeting in the night and decided to stick to our decision for an indefinite strike,” Debendra Sahu, General Secretary of All Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association told media persons here.

Official sources said the Association will have a meeting with the Urban Development Minister and the Secretary at the State Secretariat at about 11 AM on Wednesday.

The major demands of the Association include change in routes for City buses, withdrawal of steep hike in motor vehicle tax and total waiver of toll duty for all private buses.

Till reports last came in, private buses in Jeypore in Koraput district are running as usual as the Private Bus Owners’ Association has decided not to join the strike.