No solution in sight to transport corporation workers strike

Private buses are seen plying in different parts of Bengaluru and in the outskirts, while bus depots of Shanthinagar, Majestic, Shivajinagar, and Satellite Bus Depot are seen plying the buses with minimum staff. “Our families will come out and support the strike”, he said. Though the state transport department has permitted maxi cabs, vans and private buses to operate services on all routes, they were inadequate and crowded due to their erratic timings.

If the government is serious about not inconveniencing commuters, they could even call for a midnight meeting and end the stalemate on Tuesday, Chandre Gowda, treasurer of the KSRTC staff and workers’ federation has said, even suggesting that the unions were willing to settle for a lower hike than the 35 percent raise they had demanded.

The transport strike in Bengaluru was largely peaceful, apart from stray incidents of stone pelting at functioning buses.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah along with officials, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, “Let them call off the strike and come, after that we can hold discussion.We are sympathetic to a few demands like inter corporation transfer and others”. Almost 10 million population of the city travel by BMTC buses, according to a recent government study and one million by KSRTC services across the state.

The KSRTC and BMTC employees on Monday began their indefinite strike demanding 35 per cent salary hike.

But the State Government has taken a strong stand that it will hold talks with them only if they call off the strike.

Among other demands of the unions are restrooms for women employees and creches for their children at the bus stations. “We don’t want to have any rub with them”. Over 3700 police personnel have been deployed in the city to maintain peace.

As many as 23,000 buses are likely to remain off roads, according to estimates by unions, as wage revision talks with the government did not succeed on Saturday.

Also clarifying that government had no plans to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) on striking employees, Reddy said, “We want this to get settled in a cordial atmosphere, because even after the strike we all have to work together”.

Employees of various arms of KSRTC, like BMTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC ferry around 1.1 crore commuters daily. Complaints of them overcharging were heard from across the state. Unless the deputy commissioners of every district issue a special order declaring a holiday, the schools have to open but some of them have taken a pre-emptive action informing the students that the holiday would run into the third day as well.