Bhubaneswar, May 25: The private operator of city bus service, Dream Team Shahara (DTS), has proposed to run 54 buses to Puri on the occasion of rath yatra, bahuda yatra (return car festival) and suna vesha (the occasion on which the deities are bedecked with golden jewelleries).

On normal days, five city buses ply between Bhubaneswar and Puri.

A proposal to ply 54 city buses on the special occasions has been submitted by the DTS with Bhubaneswar Puri Transport Services Limited (BPTSL), the joint venture company formed to manage and monitor the service.

According to the proposal, 12 air-conditioned buses and 42 non air-conditioned buses would ply between Bhubaneswar and Puri on these three days. “Each bus will do two trips and we have proposed to ply the buses round the clock,” said DTS chief executive officer Sudhanshu Jena.

However DTS officials have sought proper parking lots and protection of passengers on these three days.

Last year during the rath yatra, private bus operators in Puri had not allowed the city buses along with the ones of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation in the designated bays, despite an order to this effect from the transport commissioner’s office.

Last year, as many as 34 city buses were permitted to ply between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on the day of rath yatra. “We would seek help of the district administration and other officials concerned so that our buses can ply on these days smoothly,” said a DTS official.

In another development, the state government has asked the state urban development department to ply city buses to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) till 9pm to facilitate smooth conveyance of staff members and attendants of patients.

At present, four buses ply to the medical institute with the last bus from Master Canteen Square leaving at 8pm. The last bus from the opposite direction leaves at 7pm.