Berhampur: The district administration's move to relocate the city bus stand here to Haldiapadar was postponed for three months after representatives of the Ganjam District Private Bus Operators' Association discussed the issue with transport minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

"We have also withdrawn the strike call after the third day (Tuesday), and we feel sorry for the inconvenience caused to people because of the strike," said association president Subash Chandra Patnaik.

Thousands of commuters suffered as the strike started on July 1.

Rural development minister Bikram Kesari Arukh, Berhampur MLA Ramesh Chandra Chau Patnaik, Gopalpur MLA Pradip Panigrahi, transport secretary Madhusudan Padhi, Ganjam collector Prem Chandra Chowdhary, Ganjam regional transport officer Sanjay Biswal, president and secretary of the All Odisha Bus Owners' Association Prakash Mishra and Debendra Sahu, respectively, as well as president and secretary of the Ganjam District Private Bus Operators' Association Subash Chandra Patnaik and Atanu Behera, respectively discussed the issue with Majhi at the secretariat.

"The present condition of the Haldiapadar bus terminus is not at all safe for passengers, and we pointed out the problems to the transport minister. We are not opposed to relocation of the bus stand to the Haldiapadar facility. But, the terminal, which is called the modern bus terminus, must have the adequate infrastructure, and we demanded that prior to the relocation," said Subash Chandra Patnaik.

However, Berhampur Development Authority secretary Sambit Kumar Rout said all infrastructure was in place in the Haldiapadar terminus. "The Berhampur Development Authority has no role to play in the infrastructure development. The roads and building as well as the National Highways Authority of India would look into the works if pending. I have not yet discussed the issue with the Ganjam collector and would do so according to the advice of the collector," Rout said.

"We can sit and solve the problem by discussing the issue with the development body or the district administration," the Berhampur MLA said.