Lakhs suffer due to sudden transport strike in Karnataka

Public transport services came to a grinding halt across the state on Friday as workers of four road transport corporations (RTC) went on strike, catching the management, unions and commuters by surprise.

And with workers deciding to continue with the agitation, services are expected to be crippled on Saturday as well.

Lakhs of commuters, who depend on buses for their daily commute, were hit hard, with thousands of them stuck at bus stations and bus stops for hours.

Those who travelled long distances were forced to brave the winter chill at stations.

Most of the workers at the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation
(KSRTC), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) and North West Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) have been typically associated with either AITUC or CITU trade unions.

However, over the last few months, pent-up frustration over the “arbitrary pay cuts, punishment transfers, unpaid leave and pressure to work for 12 hours” brought to the fore last year’s demand for making RTC workers government employees.

The detention of the some workers protesting at Freedom Park demanding the presence of Transport Minister Laxman Savadi came as a last straw.

On Friday, the anger boiled over. A decision to go on strike was taken at the last minute but no announcement was made.

The BMTC, which has been running 5,000 buses everyday, could not operate more than 108 buses. The KSRTC could operate only 32% of the 5,500 schedules. Districts in north Karnataka fared better as NEKRTC operated about 1,539 (62%) of the 2434 buses. Officials from NWKRTC did not provide information.

“Friday’s strike was a success not because of one person,” Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, who suddenly became the face of the workers, told DH.

“Workers from four corporations spread across the state decided that they had enough. It will continue to be a success on Saturday too, because they are not going to accept the arm-twisting tactics of the government.”

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Savadi appealed for an end to the strike. “I request transport workers to understand the ground reality. They shouldn’t do this with the prevailing Covid-19 situation and its attendant financial distress. Please, let them go back and do their work. Already, the minister concerned has reached out to them. As CM, once again I request them to cooperate,” said Yediyurappa.

Meeting today morning

Sources told DH that the government will try to restore the bus services by afternoon by holding a meeting with Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, the Raitha Sangha leader.

“On Thursday and Friday, there was reluctance on the part of the government to speak to Kodihalli Chandrashekhar. In fact, BMTC chairman Nandiesha Reddy had already tried to meet him but could not succeed. The transport minister is likely to hold a meeting with him on Saturday to end the strike,” the source added.