HYDERABAD: After a TSRTC driver died of a heart attack on Sunday and another attempted suicide in the GHMC limit the previous week, the corporation’s employee unions are demanding that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao review the functioning of the TSRTC. The appeal comes just two months after their two month-long strike came to end.
The deceased driver Bhikshapati belonging to the Falaknuma depot was allegedly under tremendous pressure from the management to improve earnings on the 127/2 service by clocking an extra 15-20 km every day. His colleagues and the unions attribute his sudden demise to the mounting pressure.
"The driver and the conductor had written to the depot manager several times to review the route’s service, which extended till 1 am. However, the management never pays heed to the drivers. The Chief Minister has been talking about involving all vertices of the RTC in the process of running the corporation, but drivers continue to be ignored and over-exploited," said Babu S, president of the employees union.
On similar lines, a driver from Miyapur-1 depot attempted suicide the previous week. He was allegedly asked to get out of the office of the depot manager as he was rejoining duty after a two-day break. "The driver had informed his absence from duty owing to an accident in the family. However, the depot manager paid no heed to his personal trouble and refused to take back the driver into the duty. He was manhandled by the security and sent out," added an official release from the employees union.
They are now asking why friendly and civil treatment is not being meted out to the RTC employees. "The issue is that there is no proper procedure or protocols laid down for the management with regard to RTC workers. The depot management then takes up vindictive measure against the workers. This must be reviewed by the Chief Minister," added Babu.