RTCs try to push more buses on road as gap widens between govt, workers

The road transport corporations (RTC) on Friday were set to run over 1,000 buses as defiant workers continued their strike for the third day. However, private buses continued to rule the roost at bus stations.

By 2 pm in the afternoon, the four corporations together had run as many as 601 buses led by KSRTC which accounted for nearly 250 of them as a few more trainee employees returned to work. While the operation of 1,000 buses will not be able to meet the demands of the public which were earlier met by about 22,000 buses, officials hope it will encourage more employees to return to work.

Maxicabs, private buses and auto rickshaws became the first preference of passengers who seemed to have got used to the absence of the state run buses. "We have got work to do and can't worry anymore about the lack of buses. I need to reach Anekal by evening to begin my work," said Marappa, a security guard.

Meanwhile, the government ruled out the provision of 6th Pay Commission salary yet again, making the workers despondent. Earlier in the day, a driver from NWKRTC killed himself following the worry over delay in crediting his salary and warning of stringent action.

Read | Don't be stubborn, CM Yediyurappa tells transport staff on strike

Officials continued to press the workers to drop the strike and return to work. Notices were continued to be issued to trainees and probationary staffers.

In NEKRTC, the workers got support from none other than their reporting officers. Shashank Babu, a supervisor, wrote to the chief technical officer of NEKRTC stating that he will continue to work but won't sign the attendance diary and requested for deduction in salary.

Stating that it was his moral responsibility to support the colleagues, Babu wrote that it was his moral responsibility to support the strike though he will continue to work.