Rourkela: The private bus owners in the city on Monday sought intervention of the local administration in making available online booking facility for passengers to ease problems faced by bus operators due to Covid lockdown.
Members of the Rourkela Private Bus Owners Association held a meeting with Rourkela Additional District Magistrate and pitched the idea of online booking apart from some other reforms in the bus services in and outside the Steel City.
Bus operators have also demanded to change the route of the buses inside the Steel City so that vehicles can now ply alongside the plant site through Hanuman Vatika Chowk instead of the ring road.
Association’s president Prakash Jena highlighted many issues in meeting with the officials. “There are many illegal and unauthorized bus booking counters in Rourkela so we are losing our profits. The situation is like a double whammy for us after suffering losses due to COVID19 restrictions,” Said Jena.
"There is a rise in number of buses which are causing traffic problems in the city. We have requested the administration to change the route and also allow online booking facilities because we get more passengers in city main roads rather than the ring road which circumvents the city especially during this Covid situation."
Rourkela RTO, Traffic DCP and Members who were also present in the meeting have assured to take necessary steps within 15 days.
It may be noted that bus services resumed in Odisha on May 13 for the first time after the nationwide lockdown on March 22. But in most cities, private buses are yet to run in a full-fledged manner due to low footfall of passengers amid the Covid restrictions.
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