VISAKHAPATNAM:Tension prevailed as a large number of temporary drivers and conductors, who were roped in to run the RTC buses in view of the ongoing strike by the employees of the state carrier, staged a protest at Anakapalle RTC bus depot Thursday morning demanding the RTC management to return their original certificates and pay the promised wages.
The protesters alleged that the RTC authorities had paid them only Rs 350 and Rs 300 as against the promised daily wage of Rs 1,000 and Rs 850, for drivers and conductors respectively. The RTC management retained their original certificates during recruitment tests and was asking them to continue to work.
One of the agitators, M Srinivas averred that he had passed the trial run Wednesday and the RTC management had promised to pay Rs 1,000 per day. But now, they had paid only Rs 350 for seven trips.
CPM executive committee member A Balakrishna alleged that the RTC authorities cheated the candidates by promising high wages.
“Though the temporary bus drivers have no experience, the officials have recruited them so as to cater to the rush of commuters. But then, they have cheated them by not giving them the promised wages and by retaining their original certificates as well,” he said.
APSRTC regional manager Y Jagadeesh Babu was not available for comment.