Keonjhar: Mukhyamantri Bus Seva services have been disrupted across seven blocks of Odisha’s Keonjhar district after its drivers went on strike over alleged delay in payment of their salaries.

The drivers stopped operating the buses and staged protests in front of their respective block offices. According to the protesting drivers, their salaries are not being paid on time. They alleged that despite repeatedly raising the issue with the authorities, no permanent solution has been found. The delayed payments have created difficulties for them in managing their families, they said.

The drivers have demanded timely and regular payment of their salaries.

The strike has directly affected public transport in the district. Students, employees and passengers travelling from distant areas are among those facing inconvenience as buses are not operating on their scheduled routes.

With the Mukhyamantri Bus Seva remaining suspended in seven blocks, many passengers have been forced to depend on alternative modes of transport.

The disruption has also emerged as a challenge for the administration, particularly as Keonjhar is the home district of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.