An agent waits for passengers at a bus terminus on Wednesday. Picture by Ashok Karan

Ranchi, Nov. 1: Hundreds of passengers faced a torrid time with bus owners of the state withdrawing all Bihar-bound buses from today.

While a large section of the commuters had to return homes following the indefinite strike, few others headed towards the railway station and the government bus terminus to reach their destinations.

“I had an important meeting with some doctors at Patna this evening,” said a hapless Deepak Kumar, a medical representative.

Only about 20 BSTRC buses ply from different locations of Jharkhand to Bihar daily as against over 300 private buses. Commuters were found making frantic enquiries from the private bus terminus counters at Kantatoli as their families waited anxiously. The passengers wanted to know why the bus services were suddenly stopped and when it would resume.

The bus operators have stopped plying the buses protesting against the hike in the road tax by Bihar government from Rs 8,750 to Rs 42,500 in one quarter. The new rates will be applicable for the buses not registered in Bihar.

After a meeting with the bus owners, the transport department decided to issue permanent permits to the buses of the state plying in Bihar. At present, the Jharkhand government issues temporary permits for four months to the buses. But the with permanent permits, which are issued for five years, the bus owners of the state have to pay road tax as applicable for the buses registered in Bihar.

Transport minister Anosh Ekka said the department is working towards a solution to solve the imbroglio.

Members of the bus owners association said the government had promised to issue permanent permits in the next fortnight after an agreement with the Bihar government. “We are meeting againtomorrow,” said Krishna Mohan Singh, a member of the Ranchi Bus Owners’ Association.