The proposed statewide strike by private bus operators in Odisha on June 10 has been postponed following discussions with government officials, offering temporary relief to thousands of daily commuters.Bhubaneswar: The proposed statewide strike by private bus operators in Odisha on June 10 has been postponed following discussions with government officials, offering temporary relief to thousands of daily commuters.The decision was taken after a meeting between representatives of the State Private Bus Owners’ Association and the Transport Commissioner on Friday. The association agreed to suspend its strike call and give the state government time until June 29 to address its demands, particularly regarding a further hike in bus fares and other operational issues.Speaking to reporters, Association General Secretary Debendra Kumar Sahoo said the strike scheduled for June 10 would not be held. However, he warned that if the government fails to take a satisfactory decision on the association’s demands by June 29, private bus operators may resume their agitation and launch a strike after June 30.According to Sahoo, the State Transport Authority (STA) will prepare and submit a proposal for bus fare revision based on 14 parameters. The state government will then take a final decision after examining the proposal.The development comes just days after the Odisha government revised bus fares across various categories in view of the recent increase in diesel prices. The revised fares came into effect from June 2, 2026, following a notification issued by the STA.Under the revised fare structure, passengers travelling in ordinary buses now pay 92 paise per kilometre, up from 90 paise. The fare for express buses has been increased from 94 paise to 96 paise per kilometre.Similarly, fares for deluxe buses have been revised from Rs 1.31 to Rs 1.35 per kilometre, while AC deluxe bus passengers now pay Rs 1.63 per kilometre, compared to the earlier Rs 1.59 per kilometre.The highest increase was recorded in the super deluxe category, where fares were raised from Rs 2.47 per kilometre to Rs 2.53 per kilometre.Despite the recent fare revision, the bus owners’ association maintains that rising operational costs, including fuel prices, maintenance expenses, insurance premiums and other overheads, continue to put financial pressure on private operators.On May 30, the association had issued a 10-day ultimatum to the government, threatening an indefinite strike if its demands were not addressed. Among its key demands are a more substantial fare hike and an increase in annual maintenance charges.The association had also planned to submit a memorandum to the government, urging immediate intervention to resolve the issues faced by private bus operators across the state.The postponement of the strike comes as a major relief for passengers, as a statewide shutdown of private bus services could have severely disrupted transportation and affected thousands of commuters, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.With the government now having time until June 29 to respond, all eyes will be on the outcome of discussions between the authorities and bus operators to avert any future disruption in services.
Odisha private bus owners suspend June 10 strike after talks with Government
