Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association on Thursday reaffirmed its call for a statewide bus strike on January 24, stating that the decision remains unchanged despite discussions with the State Transport Authority (STA). Association general secretary Debendra Sahu said the announcement followed a meeting between the association’s office bearers and the Transport Commissioner at the STA office in Cuttack.
At the meeting, it was decided to form district-level committees comprising the district Collector, Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Divisional General Manager of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), and representatives of private bus operators. These committees will address issues raised by private bus owners at the district level.
Later in the day, association leaders convened another meeting at their own office, where they reiterated that the strike would go ahead as planned. The protest is aimed at opposing the state government’s Mukhyamantri Bus Service, which operates bus routes between blocks and district headquarters. Private operators have alleged that the scheme is adversely impacting their business.
Sahu said four district Collectors have already agreed to the association’s demands, while a response from the Jagatsinghpur district administration is still awaited. He added that the final decision on the strike would be taken after receiving feedback from the Jagatsinghpur Collector on Friday.
