VIJAYAWADA: Talks between representatives of the APSRTC Employees’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) and Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) authorities ended without a breakthrough in Vijayawada on Monday, with union leaders expressing dissatisfaction over the government’s response to their demands.
The discussions were held at RTC House and attended by APSRTC executive directors. APSRTC JAC Convener Y Srinivas said the officials explained the government’s policy on electric buses. He clarified that employees were not opposed to introducing electric buses but insisted they should be operated by APSRTC instead of private agencies.
Srinivas demanded the purchase of 4,000 new buses and said the management had not made any firm commitment during the talks.
JAC leader Palisetti Damodar said, “The proposal to entrust the operation and maintenance of battery-operated buses will gradually push the State-run APSRTC towards privatisation, as the government plans to replace diesel buses with EVs in a phased manner. This move will make RTC employees and the public suffer, with no fresh recruitments taking place in the future.”
The JAC demanded immediate filling of vacancies and full reimbursement under the Stree Shakti scheme, alleging the government was releasing only about Rs 160 crore a month against a requirement of nearly Rs 300 crore. It said full reimbursement would enable APSRTC to operate electric buses and warned it would intensify protests from Tuesday if demands remained unmet.
