Bhubaneswar, June 6: The Private Bus Owners' Association today decided to resume bus services to Puri from tomorrow. The decision was taken after a meeting between the association and the Puri district administration this evening.

Private bus operators had stopped plying its vehicles to Puri and adjoining areas such as Niampara, Astarang and Konark today in protest against torching of three buses at Hata Chhak near Pipili on Monday. A mob had set three buses on fire after a speeding bus killed an elderly couple yesterday. What angered operators was police inaction during of mob violence.

The association's general secretary Debendra Sahu said they had decided to resume services till the car festival (July 4) was over.

"During this time we will see what action is being initiated against the accused involved in the incident. We have decided to resume bus services in view of the upcoming car festival," said Sahu.

Around 100 buses from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar to the pilgrim town and adjoining areas went off the roads today causing inconvenience to passengers.

The association has demanded immediate arrest of thoseinvolved in the yesterday's violence and adequate compensation for owners of the torched buses.

"I was returning from Berhampur and had reached Kalpana Square to board a bus to Puri but did not find a single one. I had to wait for around two hours and finally boarded an overcrowded city bus," said Arun Sashani, a commuter.

Though tourist buses continued to ply to Puri, passengers had to cough up double the fare.

"The government was well aware about today's strike but it did not make any alternative arrangements for passengers. Thousands of visitors travel to Puri everyday. In the absence of buses we were forced to travel in autorickshaws that charged exorbitant fares," said Saswati Behera, another commuter.

A mob of around 1,500 had gone on rampage and torched three buses and ransacked a few others after the death of Hadu Khan, 70, and his wife Kuni Biwi, 63, in a road accident yesterday.

Bus services on the Bhubaneswar-Puri, Pipili-Jatni, Pipili-Nimapara and Pipili-Delang route had come to a halt for several hours due to the agitation.

State commerce and transport minister Nrushingha Charan Sahu said the transport commissioner had been asked to hold a discussion with the association.

"The transport commissioner will also enquire about the documents such as insurance and fitness of the buses gutted in the accident and submit a report to the state government," said Sahu.