Bhubaneswar: A state-wide strike by private bus operators began in Odisha on Friday, crippling the public transport system across the state.
Nearly 14,000 private buses went off road in the state as part of the agitation called by the private bus owners’ association. The association launched its indefinite strike in protest against the location-accessible multimodal initiative (LAccMI) of the State government.
Following a stalemate between the Odisha Private Bus Owners Association and the state government, private buses stayed off roads in the State.
During a meeting on October 9, the state government assured that buses operating under the Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI) would not traverse from the blocks to the districts.
Earlier this month, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched an affordable bus service under LaccMI with the aim of connecting all gram panchayats with district headquarters and the state capital.
