Private city buses such as these ply in Berhampur at present. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, April 28: The launch date of the bus service for the city and nearby towns is being postponed.

“We had planned to launch city bus service from May 1, the process has been delayed. We may be able to provide this service to the public from June or the first week of July,” said Berhampur Development Authority chairman Kailash Rana.

The registration process of Ganjam Urban Transport Services Limited (GUTSL) under Company Act has started. GUTSL is headed by the district collector with the Berhampur Municipal Corporation commissioner as its chief executive officer and Berhampur Development Authority chairman and chairpersons of Hinjili, Gopalpur and Chhatrapur notified area councils as members.

“GUTSL would be the apex policy-making body and its main office will be located at the unused building of Berhampur Development Authority,” said town and regional planning member of Berhampur Development Authority Raj Kishore Sahu.

BDA has tentatively selected 10 intra-city routes in Berhampur.

The inter-city routes include Berhampur-Chatrapur, Berhampur-Gopalpur, Berhampur-Hinjili and Gopalpur-Chatrapur. The development authority will buy at least 32 buses including three air-conditioned ones with Rs 5.10 crore sanctioned by the government, he said.

Berhampur Municipality had introduced the city bus service in 1991, but had stopped after some years of operation because of heavy losses.