Raichur commuters hit hard by transport strike; Andhra, Telangana buses step in to ease crisis

A statewide transport strike has brought public commuting to a halt in Raichur district. With KSRTC services largely suspended, Andhra and Telangana have deployed buses to ease the crisis. Rural commuters continue to suffer as local connectivity remains crippled

Raichur: A massive statewide transport employees’ strike has paralysed public commuting across Karnataka, with the border district of Raichur bearing the brunt of the disruption. Starting from 6 AM on Tuesday, bus operations in the region came to a near standstill, leaving thousands of commuters, especially those travelling to rural areas, stranded without any viable transport options.

Out of the approximately 600 buses operated in the Raichur division under the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), only a handful were seen on the roads. Protesters, mainly transport workers, have stationed themselves at bus depots, refusing to operate services until the State government fulfils their long-pending demands, including salary revision and job regularisation.

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“We are not protesting without reason. We are tired of being ignored by the government. If something untoward happens when we’re forced to drive under pressure, stone pelting or bus burning, who will take responsibility?” asked one agitated employee.

With the situation turning dire, the Raichur district administration turned to neighbouring States for emergency support. Responding swiftly, around 40 buses from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have been deployed to operate inter-State services from Raichur. These buses are helping fill the vacuum, especially on routes to Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar and Kurnool. Officials from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh agreed to extend temporary support on humanitarian grounds following formal requests from Karnataka authorities.

Despite the stopgap arrangement, intra-district and taluk-level connectivity remains crippled. Commuters at Raichur’s main bus stands continue to wait endlessly, with women, students and elderly passengers the worst affected. Many long-distance travellers arriving from other States were seen walking or hiring expensive private vehicles to reach interior villages.

As the deadlock between striking workers and the Congress-led State government continues, public anger is rising, with many demanding immediate intervention and resolution to the escalating transport crisis.