HYDERABAD: The stage is all set for ‘trifurcation' of the TSRTC. The corporation will run half its fleet which is about 5,200 buses, while 30 per cent of the remaining requirement - 3,100 buses - would be taken on hire and the remaining 20 per cent (2,100 buses) would be run by private operators.
This was a major decision taken by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao after a four-hour-long review at Pragathi Bhavan here on Monday on the report submitted by an officials’ committee headed by Roads and Buildings Principal Secretary Sunil Sharma.
The CM, on the dismissal of the employees who had not reported for duty, said there was no need for dismissing them since they had dismissed themselves. As on date, there are only 1,200 employees (50,000 employees earlier) in the TSRTC, he said, pointing out that there would be no trade union activity in the corporation in future.
Rao said that their aim was not to inconvenience people. “The government will take steps to strengthen the corporation,” he said. Referring to his plan to prune the operations of RTC, he said: “At present there are 10,400 buses in the RTC. Of them, 50 per cent buses, i.e., 5,200 buses, will be owned by the RTC. Thirty per cent of buses, i.e., 3,100 will be hired. These hired buses too will be run under the management of the RTC. The remaining 20 per cent, 2,100 will be private buses. These buses will be permitted as private stage carriers. The private stage carriers would also run as Palle Velugu buses.
Hired buses and stage carriers would be operated in cities and in other routes. The fares in RTC and private buses would be the same. ‘’The fixing of fares will be under the control of RTC. Private buses should increase the fares only when the RTC increases,” the Chief Minister said.
“Nearly 21 per cent of the buses were taken on hire in the corporation. It means it needs to hire nine per cent number of buses. Increasing the number of hired buses is like RTC possessing new buses,” he opined.
He said all these measures like allowing private buses is being necessitated due to the greed of the employees’ unions. “They have dug their grave. The RTC employees went on strike during TDP and Congress governments and also during the TRS regime. Whichever party is in power, the attitude of the RTC unions did not change. They are over-reacting on issues and not giving freedom to the management to take firm decisions. It has been happening for the last 40 years. That is why the government had to take these hard decisions,” the CM said.
Rao, however, said that the general public and students attending examinations should not suffer for want of transportation. Referring to the striking employees, he said there are only 1,200 employees left in the RTC now. “There is no need for the government to dismiss the remaining employees. No one dismissed the employees. The employees themselves left the organisation. As the striking employees failed to join duties before the deadline set by the government, they are self- dismissed,” the chief minister remarked.
Rao directed the DGP to keep additional police forces at all depots and bus stations to ensure that those employees, who left the organisation don’t create any trouble. Except for the 1,200 employees who are with the RTC, no one else should go to the depots or bus stations, he said, adding that action would be taken against them if they come to the depots.
The chief minister said that the concessions extended to employees, students, kin of police martyrs, disabled persons, journalists and freedom fighters would be continued. Concession passes would be under the control of TSRTC, he said and added that the State government would bear the subsidy amount. The required funds would be earmarked in the State Budget, he added.
‘Be prepared for mass agitation’
“Don’t mistake the lull on these two days, be prepared for mass agitation,” this has been the response of union leaders of TSRTC, miffed with CM KCR’s series of announcements made on Sunday. TSRTC JAC leader Thomas Reddy also stated that the new decision to privatise 20 per cent of the RTC was not suggested by a committee appointed for the last few years but dictated by KCR himself
OTHER DECISIONS
No unionism in RTC in future
RTC profits to be disbursed to employees, who will be recruited shortly
The corporation to be strengthened by infusing new blood
Revamped RTC to face the ever-increasing competition in the transport sector