RTC strike continues in Khammam, commuters face severe hardship

The RTC strike continued for a second day in erstwhile Khammam district, leaving over 600 buses off roads and commuters stranded. Officials attempted limited services using private drivers, while employees intensified protests over long-pending demands across depots.

Khammam: Public transport was hit as the strike called by Joint Action Committee (JAC) of different RTC unions continued for the second day on Thursday all over erstwhile Khammam district.

The RTC officials tried to run a few hire-bus services and RTC services by engaging private drivers but the services failed to meet the commuters’ needs. As the RTC officials claimed that they are running services with private drivers, a few commuters came to bus stands hoping to use the services but got stuck due to lack of bus services.

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It might be noted that nearly 2000 employees abstained from duties in support of their long pending demands and over 600 TGRTC buses remaining confined to depots at Khammam, Sathupalli, Madhira, Kothagudem, Bhadrachalam, Yellandu and Manuguru.

In Kothagudem AITUC leaders Kandula Bhaskar, Shaik Nazeer, SC/ST Association depot secretary P Varaprasad, NMU leaders Khaja Moinduddin, G Raju, CITU leader E Samuel and others called on the local MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao seeking to support the strike.

Protest rallies have been taken out at all the depots in Khammam and Kothagudem districts in support of the demands. Khammam Commissioner of Police Sunil Dutt visited the bus stand and interacted with the RTC officials.

The CP stated that private drivers need not be apprehensive during the RTC JAC workers’ strike, assuring them of full-scale police protection. He directed ACP (Town) SV Ramana Murthy to take action against protestors if they cause damage to buses or government assets.