Karnataka bus strike: Bengaluru clings to limited BMTC ops; KSRTC long-distance terminals witness chaos

BENGALURU: Employees of state-owned road transport corporations launched an indefinite bus strike on Tuesday, August 5, demanding payment of 38 months’ pending arrears and a wage hike.City bus services operated by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) were partially affected during the morning hours. According to BMTC officials, 3,040 out of 3,121 scheduled services were operational as of 9 a.m. Services from the Majestic bus stand, including most night halt buses and general shift schedules, continued to operate.In Bengaluru, the strike disrupted bus services operated by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), particularly long-distance routes connecting the city to other parts of the state.

On Tuesday morning, several passengers were left stranded at the KSRTC terminal in Majestic. A KSRTC official said the strike had impacted services on almost all routes operated by the corporation from Bengaluru. To assist stranded passengers, Regional Transport Offices deployed maxi cabs and private buses to help them reach their destinations.

Also Read:Karnataka Bus StrikeThe Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Trade Unions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporations, which called for the strike, is demanding that the state govt clear the pending arrears under the wage revision effective from January 1, 2020—covering a period of 38 months.

The unions claimed their repeated appeals were ignored.The committee is also seeking the implementation of a revised salary structure from January 1, 2024, as part of the routine four-year pay revision. It has also demanded the merger of the 31% Dearness Allowance (DA) applicable as of December 31, 2023, with the basic pay, and a 25% hike in wages from January 1, 2024.Cash-strapped road transport corporations are estimated to require around ₹1,800 crore to clear the 38 months’ arrears.

However, the state govt has maintained that it is only willing to pay arrears for 14 months, as recommended by a one-man committee.Defending the strike, H.V. Ananth Subba Rao, President of the KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation, said the state govt showed indifference to their long-pending demands. “We did not call for a strike all of a sudden. For over a year, we have been demanding that the govt clear 38 months’ arrears.

The Chief Minister says only 14 months’ arrears can be paid based on a one-man committee’s recommendation. This is not acceptable.

Employees have worked tirelessly and deserve their full dues. Our intention is not to disturb public life. The govt should release the arrears and hold talks on salary revision,” he said.Subba Rao also alleged that the Chief Minister was being misled by officials in the transport department and demanded stern action against them.On the Karnataka High Court’s interim order directing the unions to defer the strike by a day, Subba Rao said the unions' legal counsel is currently studying the order.On Monday, transport minister Ramalinga Reddy warned that if the unions violated the High Court's directions, the state govt would bring the matter to the notice of the court.