Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government Thursday cancelled the special bus service for Maha Kumbh Mela till February 4, an official notice said.
“Due to unavoidable circumstances, the special bus service to Ayodhya for Maha Kumbh Mela stands cancelled with immediate effect till February 4,” the notice said.
It also said that further updates will be shared with the public on the official social media handles and website. Earlier, it was decided to operate special bus service to Maha Kumbh Mela till February 26.
The Odisha government’s decision to cancel the special bus service for Maha Kumbh Mela came a day after at least 30 people were killed, 60 injured and several went missing in a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh Wednesday as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of one of the most auspicious days of Mauni Amavasya.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had flagged off the special bus service for Maha Kumbh Mela from four locations of the state here January 12. Initially, the special pilgrim buses were launched from Puri, Berhampur, Bhawanipatna and Sambalpur. Later, bus service to Maha Kumbha also started from Koraput and Keonjhar.
The state Transport and Commerce Department regretted the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the cancellation of the special bus service. The Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) will refund the money to people who had booked tickets for the visit to Maha Kumbh Mela, it said.
PTI
