City bus service for greater Berhampur was stalled on Tuesday due to agitation of its staff.
The staff did not ply the buses fearing for their future as management of the bus service is being handed over to a private transport operator in place of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC).
Recently Ganjam Urban Transport Services Limited (GUTSL), headed by the Ganjam District Collector, had decided to hand over the management of the bus service to a private operator. It was earlier being managed by the OSRTC as no private operator had come to manage it on PPP mode.
This city bus service connecting areas in Berhampur and adjoining regions like Chatrapur, Gopalpur and Hinjli had started from February 26, 2014. In the beginning no private operator took the project even when tender was floated twice. So, the State government decided handed over the charge to the OSRTC for one year.
However, after one year of operation, the GUTSL again requested the OSRTC to continue management for six months. This tenure was to end on August 24. The GUTSL requested the OSRTC to continue till August end. From September 1, the private operator was to take up the mantle of these city buses. But the GUTSL has again requested the OSRTC to manage the service for another month.
