Private bus owners to go on strike from Dec 1

Private bus owners in Odisha have announced an indefinite strike beginning on December 1, in protest of the government’s bus services operating under the Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme, which connects panchayat areas to district headquarters. During a meeting of the Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association, they resolved to keep approximately 8,000 buses off the roads, starting next month. In addition, they plan to hold a dharna (sit-in protest) in front of the Odisha Assembly in Bhubaneswar on November 22.

The bus owners’ association has been opposing the government’s decision to run buses from block-level destinations to district headquarters under the LAccMI scheme. They contend that the government had initially assured them that the buses would operate from gram panchayats to block headquarters, but this promise was not upheld. They argue that this shift affects the livelihood of private bus owners.

The LAccMI scheme aims to connect villages to the state capital, with a budget allocation of Rs 3,178 crore by the state government to engage 1,000 buses. The bus owners have submitted their demands to the government, insisting that LAccMI buses should be restricted to running between panchayats and blocks, and they seek compensation and the waiver of additional taxes.

They also raise concerns about the government providing fare subsidies to LAccMI bus passengers, which they argue puts their businesses at a disadvantage. With around 4 lakh people involved in private bus operations in the state, this strike highlights the growing tension between private bus operators and government initiatives.