By IANS,
Bhopal : The indefinite strike bus owners here called from Wednesday evoked little response as there was division among various associations involved over taking thier vehicles off the roads.
The Madhya Pradesh Bus Owners Association called for an indefinite strike from Wednesday to protest the non-fulfilment of their demands. The association was demanding hike in bus fares, abolition of three-tier taxation system and grant of permanent permits to the owners of buses on contract.
Though Sanyukta Nagariya Evam Mahanagariya Bus Sewa Samiti supported the call, others including Maa Narmada Parivahan Samiti, Madhya Pradesh Lease Bus Owners Association and Madhya Pradesh Anubandhit Bus Owners Association opposed it.
The operators opposing the strike also submitted a memorandum to Transport Minister Himmat Kothari, demanding protection for themselves and their vehicles.
President of Maa Narmada Parivahan Samiti, Kuldeep Singh Sehgal told IANS that the bus services from Bhopal to Panchmarhi, Betul, Chhindwara, Harda and Multai were plying as normal.
“There was no point in observing the strike so soon when the transport minister has assured us of a hike in fares”, said Sehgal.
This is the second time in the past one month that the bus operators have gone on strike.
On the previous occasion taxi operators too went on strike in support of the bus owners.
After the bus operators called off their strike last month, the state government increased the fares by 10 percent but all the associations were not satisfied.