(1.) HEARD Mr. B.P. Das, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr. J. Pal, learned Standing Counsel for O.P. No. 1 -State Transport Authority, Odisha (for short, hereinafter referred as 'the STA'), Mr. A.K. Mohanty, learned counsel for O.P. No. 2 -Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (for short, hereinafter referred as 'the OSRTC), Mr. B.K. Nayak, learned Addl. Government Advocate for the State, and Mr. P.K. Nayak, learned counsel for O.P. No. 7 -Regional Sub -Divisional Private Bus Owners' Association, Athagarh).
(2.) THE present petition presented as a Public Interest Litigation seeks a direction to the opposite party Nos. 1 to 6 to restrict the opposite party No. 7 from creating hindrances and obstruction to the entrance of the private buses and other transport vehicles into the OSRTC Bus Stand, Athagarh and also requiring the opposite party Nos. 1 to 6 to take legal action against the O.P. No. 7 and its associates indulging in such obstructive activities.
(3.) ACCORDING to the petitioner, the opposite party No. 8 fixed parking fees of Rs. 15.00 per bus per day excluding the OSRTC and other Government vehicles. The opposite party No. 7 being the unsuccessful bidder in the tender process, deliberately did not allow the private buses and other transport vehicles to park inside the Bus Stand and instead the buses and transport vehicles were made to be parked on the public road, government plot by forcibly and illegally collecting parking fees. The parking of the private buses and transport vehicles on the public road resulted in great inconvenience to the general public and such forcible collection of the parking fees by the opposite party No. 8 resulted in loss to the State exchequer. The petitioner has further pleaded that faced with the increasing inconvenience due to parking of private buses and transport vehicles on the public roads, the public spirited persons including social activists submitted representations before the jurisdictional Sub -Collector and other functionaries on several dates requesting them to take appropriate action to clear the roads of such encroachment and to secure safe passage to the commuting public and the passengers in general.