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Bhubaneswar: Following the torching of three buses by a mob near Hata Chhak in Pipili on Monday, the Bhubaneswar Bus Association has decided to stop the services to Puri, Konark and Nimapara from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar in protest of the incident from today.
Besides arrest of the persons involved in the torching incident, the association has demanded for compensation and waiver of loan installment of the burnt vehicles.
The Private Bus Owners’ Association had decided in a meeting yesterday to stall the bus services till an assurance is received from the government. The decision of Bhubaneswar Bus Association is supported by the State association.
"The decision of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri association to stall bus services passing through Pipli is supported by Odisha Bus Owners' Association. If we do not receive any assurance from the State government within 2-4 days, an emergency meeting will be called upon by the State association to decide upon future course of action," said President of Odisha Private Bus Owners' Association Prakash Mishra.
Secretary of Bhubaneswar Bus Owners' Association Barada Acharya said, "Here I demand to the government that the bus owners should be compensated, government should instruct the insurance company for waiver of their installments and the persons involved should be arrested immediately. We have the visual of the persons who torched the buses, police would also have the same. If a passenger bus is unsafe at merely 50 metres away from a police station than it is very difficult to arrange passenger services in Odisha."
It may be mentioned that a speeding bus ‘Sarala’, running from Puri to Bhubaneswar, had run over one Hadu Khan and his wife near Hata Chhak in Pipili yesterday, killing them on the spot.
Irate locals had immediately blocked old NH-203 and torched three buses including the 'Sarala'. The incident had invited sharp criticism from bus owners association.
Meanwhile, Commerce and Transport Minister Nrusingha Sahu informed that Transport Commissioner has been directed to discuss the issue with Bus Owners' Association.
