Bus operators stage protest over low fare

JEYPORE: The private bus operators of Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts went on strike protesting low fare offered by the State Government for taking farmers to Puri for KALIA Yojana meeting on Thursday.

According to sources, the State Government had asked the Road Transport Officers (RTOs) of the three districts to arrange 100 buses for taking farmers to Puri and accordingly, the RTOs directed the private bus operators to send their buses with drivers and helpers.

The Government proposed to pay `2,800 per bus for the purpose. Protesting the low prices offered, the private owners’ returned the orders to RTOs demanding at least `50 per km for the purpose.
As the RTOs were not in a position to fulfil their demand, the bus owners stopped plying their buses on different routes and decided not to run their vehicles even for the meeting.

The abrupt disruption in bus services crippled life with passengers stranded at different places.
However, in the evening, the district administration assured the bus owners to ensure `50,000 per bus from the Government and requested them to take the farmers to Puri. Later, a few operators agreed to the demands.