RTC Strike: Public faces hardships as RTC buses confined to depots in Khammam

Over 600 TGRTC buses remained off roads in Khammam as employees launched an indefinite strike, demanding pay revision and merger with the government. Commuters faced severe hardship, relying on costly private transport while protests were held across multiple depots.

Khammam: Public transport was severely hit with over 600 TGRTC buses remaining confined to depots in erstwhile Khammam district as the RTC workers’ unions launched an indefinite strike on Wednesday midnight.

Nearly 2000 employees abstained from duties in support of their long pending demands such as pay revision, merger of staff with the Telangana government, conducting of union elections and others related to workers’ welfare. RTC hired private drivers and conductors to operate buses but no buses were allowed to move out of the depots by the protesting workers.

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The members and leaders of different unions staged protests at seven depots, Khammam, Sathupalli, Madhira, Kothagudem, Bhadrachalam, Yellandu and Manuguru demanding the State government to address their demands.

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 took part in the protests. CPI leader Kancharla Jamalaiah extended support to the strike.

Police personnel were deployed at the depots to maintain order; protesting workers were taken into custody by police and were shifted to different police stations. The commuters across the district faced hardships in view of the strike and were forced to depend on auto rickshaws paying extra money to travel.