Bhubaneswar: The All Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association (AOBOA) on Friday cancelled its planned bus strike following talks with the Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena and leaders of the Odisha Drivers’ Ekta Mahasangh, which is on an indefinite strike from March 15 to press for a 10-point charter of demand.
On the eve of the drivers’ state-wide strike, the AOBOA had assured that it would maintain normal bus services in the state. However, private buses did not operate in the state owing to the alleged non-cooperation of the drivers and roadblocks by the Mahasangh members. On Thursday, the AOBOA warned that its members would go on an indefinite strike if the state government failed to free the national highways from roadblocks by the agitators.
AOBOA secretary Debendra Kumar Sahu on Friday said that the planned strike has been called off. According to Sahu, the private bus owners in the state took the decision following talks with the Chief Secretary and representatives of the Drivers’ Ekta Mahasangh on Thursday. “Already private buses have started plying on various routes, he added.
As all the roadblocks have been removed and even movement of trucks has become normal, we too resumed private bus services on various routes, Sahu said, adding, “Fortunately, none of our drivers or conductors faced any problem due to the strike by the Drivers’ Ekta Mahasangh. Nevertheless, we are constantly keeping an eye on the situation.”
