Bus strike hits passengers

8,000 KSRTC, 6,200 BMTC buses off road

Thousands of commuters depending on Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) services will be severely affected, with BMTC and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employees launching an indefinite State-wide strike on Thursday.

The stir began several hours ahead of schedule on Wednesday night, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded at bus stands across the City and State.

Late on Wednesday night, several home-bound passengers were caught unawares with workers at several bus depots ensuring that no buses plied. By 10 pm, the situation deteriorated, leaving the commuters at the Majestic and KR Market bus stations clueless, angry and helpless.

The indefinite strike was called to press for implementing demands, including pay revision and regularisation of around 33,000 trainee employees working with the four road transport corporations in the State.

The strike took an early violent turn, with the Peenya Police here arresting three BMTC bus drivers for allegedly throwing stones at a BMTC bus near Jalahalli on Wednesday night. The drivers, Rakesh T (32), Suresh Devegowda (38) and Rajashekhar M (27), stopped a BMTC bus and threw stones, shattering the window panes in the vehicle. No one was injured.

According to the KSRTC Employees Joint Committee, the strike is expected to hit the services of 6,200 BMTC and 8,000 KSRTC buses.

But BMTC Managing Director K R Srinivas claimed that over 60 per cent of BMTC employees were not participating in the strike. “If at all there are any problems, the BMTC has additional employees who will be deputed to manage the situation. We will ensure that no inconvenience is caused to passengers,” he said.

KSRTC MD, Manjunath Prasad, was hopeful that bus services will only be hit partially “as not many employees will be participating in the strike.”

No decision on school holiday

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri said that the government had not taken any decision to declare holiday for schools. Sources in the education department said schools and colleges could independently decide on declaring a holiday.