Bhubaneswar: The launch of Tier-II buses under the Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme has sparked significant unrest among private bus owners in Odisha. The Private Bus Owners Association has announced an indefinite bandh starting October 8, 2024, unless the government reconsiders its decision by October 7.
The association, led by Nari Mohanty and Chagala Paricha, has expressed strong opposition to the introduction of Tier-II buses, citing concerns over their impact on the livelihoods of private bus operators. “We had agreed on Tier-I LAccMI buses after much discussion. But, the previous government had unofficially promised to keep Tier-II on halt. The government has changed but they are also planning to ply Tier-II LAccMI buses. They have already released the notification. So, we have decided to hit the streets,” stated Nari Mohanty, President of the Bus Owners’ Association, Jeypore.
The association has given the government a deadline of 6:00 PM on October 7 to reconsider the decision. “If the government fails to take any decision on or before 6:00 PM on October 7, no one can stop us from resorting to a strike,” added Mohanty.
The LAccMI scheme, initially launched by the previous BJD government, aims to promote sustainable and economical transport by creating a continuous public transportation network connecting Gram Panchayats with Block and District Headquarters. The current administration under Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has continued to support the scheme, emphasizing its importance for rural connectivity.
However, the bus owners argue that the introduction of Tier-II buses will severely affect their operations, especially during the upcoming Durga Puja festivities, a peak travel period. “We will hit the streets after October 7. This will be our way of telling the government to listen to us. If they pay no heed, we will call for an indefinite strike in the days to come,” warned Chagala Paricha, President of the Bolangir Bus Owners’ Association.
