Bhubaneswar, June 5: Commuters across Odisha received a major relief on Friday as the proposed statewide strike by private bus operators, scheduled for June 10, was temporarily suspended following discussions with the Transport Department.

The decision was taken after representatives of the Private Bus Owners Association held a meeting with the Transport Commissioner. Following the talks, the association announced that it would defer the strike and give the state government additional time to address its long-pending demands.

According to association leaders, the government has been given a deadline until June 29 to resolve the issues raised by private bus operators. However, they warned that if satisfactory action is not taken within the stipulated period, the strike will be resumed from June 30, potentially affecting public transportation services across the state.

Speaking to the media, Debendra Kumar Sahu, General Secretary of the Private Bus Owners Association, said that the organization has submitted a proposal seeking revision of bus fares. The proposal has been prepared after considering 14 different parameters, including rising operational and maintenance costs faced by bus operators.

Sahu informed that the fare hike proposal will now be examined by the State Transport Authority (STA), which will assess its feasibility and submit recommendations to the state government. A final decision on the revision of bus fares will be taken by the government after reviewing the STA’s findings.

The temporary suspension of the strike is expected to ensure uninterrupted transport services for passengers while discussions between the government and bus owners continue.

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