Protest week observation by the Maoists in south Odisha during first week of July led to loss of around Rs. 63 lakh for the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC).
In the Maoist-infested remote districts of south Odisha like Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, the OSRTC is major source of passenger transport. As per an assessment, the OSRTC incurs losses at least around Rs.2.70 crore in south Odisha because of its disruption of service due to bandh, hartal and protest observation calls by Maoists.
According to in-charge divisional manager of Berhampur division of OSRTC, Anil Mishra, due to threat of Maoist violence the corporation stops plying buses in such areas for at least 30 days every year. In December 2009, the Maoists had torched four OSRTC buses on the night before the day of their bandh call.
After this incident, the OSRTC authorities had decided to stop plying its buses in such regions during any bandh, hartal or protest observation by the ultras.
