KSRTC staff demand govt employee status, stage protest

The members of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Employees’ Federation staged a protest here on Wednesday demanding the government consider the staff of all the four transport corporations on a par with government employees.

The members of the Federation, who assembled at KSRTC bus stand, took out a protest march till Azad Park, holding placards and raising slogans to meet their demand.

The protesters said that that the Andhra Pradesh government was treating the employees of its road transport corporation on a par with government staff and had been extending all the commensurate benefits. Karnataka too should take up a similar measure and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa should make an announcement in this regard in 2020-21 budget, they demanded.

Chandrashekhara Shivacharya swami of Shankaradevara Mutt said that the officers of the KSRTC should not harass the staff and that they should take steps to keep the buses in good condition. He appealed the Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Laxman Savadi to extend legitimate benefits to the employees of KSRTC. He said that officers should discharge their duties honestly without succumbing to pressure from politicians.

President of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Employees’ Federation R Chandrashekhar said that they were holding protest without affecting movement of buses.

“Only those employees who have completed their work in the first shift or have their weekly off have taken part in the protest,” he said.

Chandrashekhar said that it had been their long-pending demand to consider them on a par with government employees. Letter campaign, black badge protest had been held and memorandums have been submitted to the chief minister and transport minister.

However, the demand is yet to be fulfilled, he said and warned of intensifying the protest if the demand was not met. The protesters later submitted a memorandum at the deputy commissioner’s office.