Bhubaneswar: The All Odisha Private Bus Owners Association has called for a 24-hour strike in western and southern Odisha, starting October 7, in protest of the launch of Tier-II buses under the Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme. The strike, scheduled from 6 pm on October 7 to 6 pm on October 8, aims to put pressure on the government to reconsider its decision.
Bus owners claim that the previous government had unofficially promised to halt Tier-2 services, but no action was taken. “We agreed to Tier-1 LAccMI buses, but nothing happened on the ground,” they stated. The association warns of indefinite strikes in the coming days if their demands are not met.
The LAccMI scheme, initiated by the previous BJD government, aims to connect remote areas. However, private bus owners fear that Tier-II buses will disrupt their operations. With Durga Puja festivities approaching, the strike may cause disruptions to commuters.
“We will go on strike for 24 hours from the evening of October 7. If the government does not listen to the demand, we will go on indefinite strike in the coming days”, a bus owner said.
The association’s move came following the government’s plans to continue the LAccMI scheme. The stir will hit public communication across western and southern Odisha during Durga Puja.
