BHUBANESWAR: Commerce and Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu on Monday asked officials to take steps for streamlining government bus services to western and southern Odisha from the State Capital.
Chairing a meeting on intra and inter-State bus services here, the Minister stressed implementing all pending proposals mooted earlier for the introduction of more luxury coach buses to different parts of Odisha and neighbouring states.
Since less number of private buses ply to towns like Jeypore, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Baripada, Keonjhar, Joda, Barbil, Bhawanipatna, Sonepur and Balangir, the Minister instructed Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) to add more AC buses to the existing fleet and increase the frequency.
“The corporation has been asked to introduce OSRTC bus services from the Capital city to important places where no government bus service is available at present. The focus should be on connecting southern and western regions besides the long routes,” she said.
The Minister also directed officials to introduce more AC buses to Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Puri during the day for the convenience of people who depend on public transport.
On OSRTC’s demand for more permits for different routes during the day which was earlier turned down by the State Transport Authority (STA) on the ground that there is hardly any scope for new permits, Sahu asked the corporation and STA officials to find out the issues and resolve it by the next meeting scheduled on September 3.