BENGALURU: Commuters were stranded across Bengaluru after Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) withdrew services, with transport corporation employees striking work. Stranded commuters had to opt for costlier modes of transport, like cabs and autorickshaws. Passengers who had booked Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus tickets reached their respective bus terminals to find very few buses plying.
The strike entered the second day, with employees demanding salaries and perks on par with state government employees. “The strike will continue for a few more days as the government has been unresponsive to our demands, though it has funds for ideas like the Maratha Development Corporation. No employee will be on duty,” K Thippeswamy, general secretary, Karnataka Sarige Employees Okkuta, said.
Protesting employees of BMTC, KSRTC, North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) had joined farmers in the statewide protest on Thursday, although buses were plying. The stir was largely eclipsed by the farmers’ agitation in Bengaluru and other places in the state.
However, on Friday, no BMTC bus plied in the city, while KSRTC operated only 50 per cent of its services and NWKRTC and NEKRTC operated 35 per cent of their fleets, according to transport department officials. This, despite Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s appeal to them to return to work.
DyCM Laxman Savadi, who holds the transport portfolio, also held a meeting with union leaders of transport corporation employees, to urge them to withdraw their strike.
Sources in the transport minister’s office said another round of discussions is due on Saturday. Some KSRTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC buses which plied were reportedly pelted with stones at Nelamangala, near Bengaluru, Kalaburagi city and Channapatna in Ramanagara district. Apart from these sporadic incidents, the stir was generally peaceful. Agitating employees staged a unique protest at Yeshwanthpur by cooking and eating in the middle of the road, under the blazing sun.
BMRCL to run more trips today
To mitigate inconvenience to the public due to the ongoing bus strike, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited will operate all its 50 train sets by stepping up frequency during peak and non-peak hours from Saturday. According to a release, top-up facility of cards as well as new cards are available at all stations.
‘D30L relief to kin of deceased employees’
Transport Minister Laxman Savadi said that within 15 days, the government will give a relief of Rs 30 lakh to the kin of each KSRTC employee who died of Covid-19. He met with leaders of SRTC unions on Friday and appealed to the workers to return to work. “There is a demand to make them permanent employees, for which I will convene a meeting with the CM,” Savadi said, adding that action will be taken against senior officials ill-treating staff. He said the SRTCs had incurred losses of Rs 3,000 crore due to the pandemic.
‘Strike without notice illegal’
According to a circular issued by BMTC Director (Vigilance), calling for a strike without prior notice, has been held as illegal. Public transport is considered an essential service, and it is the responsibility of every staff member to attend duty. The circular directs staff to ensure there is no disruption in services.