Bhubaneswar, Oct 9 [UDN}:The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has demanded the immediate resumption of four Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) Volvo Shree Jagannath bus services connecting Raighar–Hyderabad and Bhawanipatna–Hyderabad, which were reportedly discontinued.
Former minister and senior BJD leader Rabi Narayan Nanda raised the issue at a press conference, alleging that the services, which had benefited large numbers of people and were reportedly operating profitably, were stopped under pressure from a private bus operator.
According to Nanda, the Shree Jagannath Volvo services from Umerkote and Bhawanipatna to Hyderabad were launched in June 2024 on tourist permits and quickly became popular among passengers from western and southern Odisha. There had also been demands to extend similar services from Chandahandi, Umerkote, Sinapali and Damanjodi.
He alleged that the four services were subsequently discontinued, citing non-cooperation from the Telangana government, causing resentment among people in the affected regions.
Nanda further claimed that around 40 private buses from areas including Sinapali, Dharmagarh, Umerkote, Damanjodi and Malkangiri currently operate to Hyderabad and Vijayawada under tourist permits. Of these, he alleged, 24 are owned by operators from Chhattisgarh, six by Andhra Pradesh operators and only 10 by Odisha operators. He also alleged that some out-of-state operators are carrying large numbers of passengers and substantial quantities of luggage under tourist permits.
The senior BJD leader urged the Odisha government to consider public demand and restore the four Shree Jagannath Volvo services to Hyderabad at the earliest, stressing that the services are important for passengers from western and southern Odisha.
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