KARIMNAGAR/ MEDAK/WARANGAL/ADILABAD: On the first day of the TGSRTC employees’ strike, a bus met with an accident on Wednesday morning on the Kothirampur bypass road in Karimnagar city, leaving several passengers injured.
According to reports, the Karimnagar-2 depot bus was en route to Warangal when it collided with a lorry and then rammed into a road divider. Passengers alleged negligence by the temporary driver engaged by RTC officials to operate the bus in view of the ongoing strike.
Locals rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Meanwhile, the RTC strike continued peacefully across the Karimnagar region. Except for hired and electric buses, most RTC services remained confined to depots.
Heavy police deployment was seen at bus depots and stations to prevent any untoward incidents. With limited services, passengers were left waiting for long hours at bus stops, while private transport operators, including autorickshaws and cars, were reportedly charging exorbitant fares.
In erstwhile Medak district, 90 per cent of buses remained confined to depots.
Former minister T Harish Rao expressed solidarity with the RTC workers protesting in front of the Siddipet depot on Wednesday. He demanded that the government fulfil the demands of the workers.
In the erstwhile Warangal district, TGSRTC operated four of its own buses, along with 145 hired and 79 electric buses on long routes, by engaging private drivers to minimise inconvenience to passengers. The Warangal region normally operates 1,036 buses daily, including 325 hired and 115 electric buses.
Meanwhile, TGSRTC authorities have issued a circular inviting applications from candidates to work as conductors on a remuneration of Rs 800 per day. Candidates who have passed SSC are eligible to apply.
Passengers faced difficulties in reaching their destinations in the erstwhile Adilabad district, as about 641 buses remained confined to depots at Adilabad, Nirmal, Bhainsa, Asifabad, Mancherial and Utnoor.
Several women, who had not carried sufficient money as they were eligible for free travel under the Mahalakshmi scheme, were left frustrated on finding the bus stand empty.
According to officials, RTC operated 171 hired buses in the erstwhile Adilabad district on the first day of the strike.