Bhubaneswar: Bus services in western and southern Odisha are likely to remain suspended for 24 hours from 6 PM today as the bus owners' associations have called for a strike in the region.

(Read latest news of this development: Bus strike in Odisha called off after meeting between minister and owners' associations)

The strike may affect bus services in Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Bolangir, Subarnapur, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, and Deogarh districts.

However, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena has called the private bus owners’ associations for a meeting at Berhampur today to discuss their demands.

The bandh has been called against the Odisha government's decision to introduce tier-II buses under the Location Accessible Multi-modal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme.

During a general body meeting, the bus owners expressed dissatisfaction with the state government's lack of response to their demands. As a result, 24 bus owners' associations across 14 districts have called for the bandh.

The associations may extend the bandh to an indefinite period if the demands are not met.

A bus owner explained that while they supported the launch of tier-I LAccMI buses connecting blocks to panchayats, they are opposing the introduction of tier-II buses, which would operate between blocks and district headquarters, causing financial losses for private bus operators.