TGSRTC drivers boycott work over excessive workload at Bhadrachalam depot
TGSRTC drivers at Bhadrachalam depot launched a protest against depot manager Tirupathi, alleging harassment and excessive workload. Drivers claimed they were forced to cover nearly 1,890 km per week and manage multiple tasks beyond driving. The depot manager defended his stance, stating the strike violated service norms.
Kothagudem: TGSRTC drivers at Bhadrachalam depot in the district boycotted work in protest against alleged harassment by the depot manager Tirupathi.
The drivers affiliated to Employees Union, NWF, INTUC and TMU launched the protest on Monday night and continued it on Tuesday. Nearly 60 workers were taking part in the protest and warned that if their problems were not addressed they would intensify their protest.
They complained that the depot manager was imposing an additional work burden on the ticket issuing machine (TIM) drivers unlike in another depot in Khammam region. As a result of which each driver was forced to drive for about 1,890 kilometres in a week.
The drivers noted that they were facing severe hardships while operating Bhadrachalam-Hyderabad service, during which they had to look after supply of water bottles, check reservations, issue tickets and manage cargo parcels.
Recently eight drivers fell sick on duty while three were hospitalised. The depot manager was imposing a condition to reach Hyderabad within seven hours. The depot manager was engaging inexperienced outsourcing and Palle Velugu drivers to operate long distance and inter-State services as the regular drivers boycotted the work. It might endanger the lives of passengers, the drivers worried.
CITU leaders MB Narsa Reddy and YV Ramana Rao and CPM leader Gaddam Swamy extended solidarity to the striking drivers. They met the drivers on Tuesday and demanded the RTC officials to intervene and accept the drivers’ demands. It was not right to increase the work pressure on the employees, they added.
The depot manager Tirupathi maintained the drivers resorted to strike without any prior notice and it was against the service rules.
