Commuters Hit As TSRTC Strike Continues For Second Day

Hyderabad: Buses of the state-owned Telangana State Road Transport Corporation stayed off the roads on the second day , due to the indefinite strike by unions of TSRTC on Sunday .Majority of buses continued to stay off the roads across the state, causing inconvenience to commuters, particularly Dasara festival travellers.

With nearly 50,000 employees boycotting work and buses of the state-owned TSRTC staying off the roads since Friday midnight across Telangana, the state government made alternative arrangements and engaged services of temporary drivers and conductors to operate buses.

The strike comes after talks between the three-member committee of the state government and the RTC unions failed.With hundreds of commuters left stranded in the state following the RTC stir, Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar on Saturday said the government has decided to come out with a permanent alternative transportation policy.

He warned that RTC employees who fail to report to duty by 6 PM on Saturday shall cease to be treated as staff of the corporation and they would not be taken back in future. "Even in future, under any circumstances, they will not be treated and considered as RTC employees," Kumar was quoted as saying in an official release.

The employees' unions have been demanding merger of the RTC with the government, recruitment to various posts, job security to drivers and conductors, implementation of Pay Scale Revision 2017 recommendations, removal of taxes on diesel among others.

The state minister also said the government was examining three options, including hiring 3,000 to 4,000 private buses, inviting applications from young men and women possessing valid driving licence to run RTC buses and provide employment to them. They would be adequately trained to operate the buses, he said.

Besides, route permits would be accorded to about 7,000 private buses, the release said. On Sunday, a high-level review meeting would be held where the alternative policy will be firmed up, it said.

It further said the Transport Minister was constantly reviewing and monitoring the situation arising out of the agitation.The Union leaders said they decided to go on strike after government 'failed' to meet their demands including merger of the corporation with the government.

They said several notices with regard to the strike were given to the government earlier. TSRTC Joint Action Committee (JAC) members staged protests on Saturday raising slogans against the state government.

Police took protesting employees into preventive custody when they tried to stop buses from plying at different places.Senior police officials also visited bus depots and interacted with depot managers and reviewed security arrangements.

TRSTC officials said alternative arrangements were made to enable public reach their respective destinations. Claiming that the strike was successful, TSRTC Union leaders said, "about 50,000 employees were part of the strike and the reports that bus services are not hit due to the strike was wrong."

If any untoward incident occurs while operating bus services with the help of inexperienced staff, the state government has to take the responsibility, they said. TSRTC-JAC leader Ashwathama Reddy said the strike was "total" and all the workers took part in it voluntarily.

Catering to the extra rush of passengers on account of the strike, Hyderabad metro has increased the frequency of trains. Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited Managing Director N V S Reddy said metro trains were running extra hours with some starting from 5 am onwards and the last one leaving the terminal at 11.30 pm and reaching other stations at around 12.30 am.

Similarly, frequency of trains was being increased to three minutes during peak hours and five minutes or as per the requirement during non peak hours, he said. Additional ticket counters, machines and manpower were being arranged at busy stations.

"Almost all stations are experiencing more commuters, but crowd is manageable so far and will remain so today and tomorrow.However, Monday will be a challenge if strike continues.Additional Special teams and extra personnel will be mobilised for Monday," Reddy said. (PTI)

Also Read: TSRTC Indefinite Strike: Alternate Arrangements By Government