MUMBAI: As many as 1,532 employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation on Friday resumed duty and 36 buses were operated across the state even as the strike called by the unions entered its 16th day without any solution in sight.
The number of employees who joined duty as claimed by the MSRTC and that of the buses which ran on the roads were miniscule.
The corporation has about 95,000 employees on its rolls, and maintains a fleet of about 16,000 buses.
The main demand of the employees is that the cash-strapped corporation be merged with the state government, so that they get the status and benefits of government employees.
The government has formed a committee to examine the issue.
Shekhar Channe, vice-chairman and managing director of the MSRTC, said at a press conference in the evening that so far 1, 532 employees have resumed work and 36 buses were operated from 17 locations across the state.
The corporation has lost about Rs 125 crore since the strike began on October 28, he said.
"The help of the police department is being taken to ensure that the employees who want to rejoin duty are not obstructed," Channe said.
Buses were operated on routes including Mumbai-Satara, Dadar-Pune, Swargate (Pune)- Thane, Nashik-Pune, Nashik-Dhule, Solapur-Akkalkot and Rajapur -Burumbewadi.
The highest seven buses were operated on the Pune Station-Dadar route. Over 850 passengers travelled by 36 buses. All 250 depots of the MSRTC have been closed since Monday.
The MSRTC also issued a pamphlet on Friday, urging the employees to call off the strike immediately.
Accumulated losses of the corporation have risen to Rs 12,000 crore, still it paid the salaries for the last 18 months by taking a financial assistance of Rs 3,549 crore from the state government, it said.
"We will continue to make sincere efforts to pay salaries on time," the corporation assured.
The pamphlet also mentioned the fulfillment of other demands such as increase in the dearness allowance and house rent allowance and a Diwali gift for the employees.
Ordinary commuters have been suffering and the MSRTC is losing Rs 15 to 20 crore every day due to the strike, it said, also warning of a long-term financial impact.
According to the officials, so far the state-owned corporation has suspended 2,053 employees for taking part in the strike.
A group of MSRTC employees, meanwhile, continued their protest at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai for the third day.
No meeting is scheduled between the government and unions to end the deadlock as of now, officials said.
The MSRTC on Wednesday filed a contempt petition in the Bombay High Court, saying the unions have continued the strike despite the HC declaring it illegal.
The court has sought replies from the unions and will hear the matter on November 15.