Protest against LAccMI buses: Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association call off bandh after Minister’s assurance

Odisha's bus strike called by the Private Bus Owners' Association has been called off following assurances from Commerce & Transport Department Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena. This comes ahead of the Durga Puja festivities, ensuring uninterrupted bus services.

The minister assured that permits for tier-II LAccMI buses will be withheld, addressing the concerns of the western and southern bus owners’ associations. The 24-hour bandh was earlier scheduled for October 7 starting at 6 pm till October 8 in the evening opposing the government’s decision to introduce tier-II buses under the LAccMI scheme. 

“Our government is also concerned. This will be the LAccMI bus scheme’s new operation with a new logo and new design. We have concluded amicably after discussion with all the private bus owners’ association members of the western and southern districts. Hopefully, they will call off the protest scheduled for today,” Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said.

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“The Minister listened to our pleas and assured us that the permit for tier-II LAccMI buses will be withheld for now. So, we have decided to call off the strike that was scheduled for today,” informed Bikash Chandra Mahapatra, co-ordinator, of Bargarh Private Bus Owners’ Association.

Similarly, Loknath Padhi, President of the Baliguda Private Bus Owners’ Association said, “We suffer huge losses due to the LAccMI bus scheme. So, we had given a call for bandh today. As of now, the Minister has assured us that they will not give permits for tier-II bus launch that were supposed to ply from blocks to districts. With Durga Puja festivities around, people will face problems if the buses go off-road, so we will run the buses.”