Bhadrak: Scores of private buses operating in Bhadrak did a vanishing act Sunday, leaving commuters in the lurch, a report said.
The report added that the local administration had requisitioned 106 private buses of the district for two days to carry people to the meeting of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, held at Rajnagar in Kendrapara district.
Throughout the day, people of Bhadrak were stranded at bus depots. Absence of buses on the roads was similar to an undeclared strike. Drivers of auto rickshaws and mini vans took advantage of the situation.
A total of 119 buses affiliated to Bhadrak Bus Syndicate and Basudevpur Private Bus Owners’ Association run on various routes in the district on a daily basis. About 40 buses operate on Balasore-Bhubaneswar route.
Of 119 buses, the local transport administration has sent 106 buses to Kendrapara to carry people to the meeting venue.
Communication has virtually come to a halt on routes to Malda, Manjuri Road, Dhamnagar, Bhandaripokhari and Bant on Sunday.
People who took auto rickshaws to go to their destinations had to pay Rs 200 against the normal fare of Rs 10, some passengers alleged.
Leaders of opposition parties asserted that similar situation had arisen when the Chief Minister had visited Baripada, Rairangpur, Keonjhar, Balasore and Dhenkanal.
Some leaders asked when the government has so many projects for people, why did it not have its own buses to carry people to the meeting venues.
Sabitri Munda, a commuter waiting at Bhadrak bus stand, said, ”I have been waiting here since morning. As I have not enough money to shell out the exorbitant auto fare, I will go to Dhamara.”
BJP woman leader Manasmita Khuntia alleged that the government causes commuting problems to people in our district for its publicity in other district. Communication was completely paralysed in Bhadrak after requisition of buses, she rued.
RTO Biranchi Narayan Adhikari said, “In case of Chief Minister’s meetings at other district, the collector usually issues letters to us to send buses. Accordingly, we send buses for official programme.”
PNN
