Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association on Thursday announced its decision to go ahead with a statewide bus strike on January 24.
Even after holding discussions with the State Transport Authority (STA), association general secretary Debendra Sahu said the strike call remains unchanged for now.
The announcement came after a meeting of the association’s office bearers with the Transport Commissioner at the STA office in Cuttack.
During the meeting, it was decided that district-level committees will be constituted comprising the district Collector, Regional Transport
Officer (RTO), Divisional General Manager of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), and representatives of the private bus owners’ association. The committees are expected to look into the issues raised by private operators at the local level.
However, the association leaders held another meeting at their own office later in the day. The association reiterated that the proposed strike would proceed as scheduled.
The strike has been called in protest against the state government’s Mukhyamantri Bus Service, which operates bus services between blocks and district headquarters. Private operators have alleged that the scheme adversely affects their operations.
Sahu said four district Collectors have already agreed to the association’s demands, while a decision from the Jagatsinghpur district administration is still awaited. The final call on the proposed strike will be taken after the association receives a response from the Jagatsinghpur Collector on Friday, he added.