KOCHI: The Kerala State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has managed to restore most of its services that were affected on Sunday and Monday due to shortage of drivers. Most of the 2,107 empanelled drivers, who were terminated following a court direction, were reinstated on Tuesday.
However, KSRTC faced problems in finding adequate drivers as the criteria of a minimum five-year driving experience excluded 512 persons, who were appointed as empanelled drivers from PSC rank list just 10 days back. Besides, some of the temporary drivers refused to join duty as a protest against the cut in benefits such as duty pass. They even demanded that the terms of employment should be given in writing.
“An empanelled driver earns Rs 500 for a duty. So, KSRTC expects me to spend money out of my earning to return home,” said a temporary driver from Venjaramoodu depot. He did not get duty on Tuesday, as the service he was operating, was handed over to a permanent driver.
The decision to terminate the services of temporary drivers sent KSRTC’s schedules in disarray. It cancelled over 2,000 and 1,240 services on Sunday and Monday respectively. The south zone was the worst affected followed by central and north zones. The problem was resolved after a meeting by officials on Monday, decided to appoint temporary workers on daily wage basis.
KSRTC decided to sack empanelled drivers en-mass following a Supreme Court directive to complete the procedure before June 30. Job aspirants in PSC rank list approached the High Court against ever-greening of services to temporary workers at the cost of their job opportunities.
Based on court verdict, KSRTC can keep services of temporary workers only for 179 days. ‘Though the court verdict intended to end the practice of appointing temporary workers at the cost of people gaining employment through PSC test, KSRTC appears to circumvent the ruling through adhoc appointments. It would help them get cheap labour without much liabilities,” an officer said.