RTC Staff Intensify Strike On Third Day

The RTC workers intensified their protest on the third day of their indefinite strike on Friday demanding payment of 43% fitment allowance.

RTC drivers and conductors held protests at various bus depots across Telangana and prevented the buses from coming out of the depots.

A conductor, Chandraiah, 42, attached with the Zaheerabad depot of the Medak district, tried to set himself ablaze. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by his colleagues.

The protest turned violent at the Hanamkonda bus station where the management tried to operate some buses using contract drivers and conductors. At least 10 women conductors were injured when the agitating RTC workers clashed with the police personnel. TDP senior leader and MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao also participated in the protest. The RTC staff raised slogans against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and RTC Managing Director N Sambasiva Rao.

Speaking on the occasion, Errabelli demanded that the state government accept all the demands of the RTC employees as they had played a significant role during the Telangana agitation.

He reminded people that Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao had given repeated assurances that the RTC staff would be paid salaries and allowances on par with the of the state government.

Meanwhile, the Warangal police imposed Section 144 in the vicinity of nine bus depots in the district. Massive protests were also registered in the Kothagudem bus station of the Khammam district.

RTC employees also held massive protests at several places in Hyderabad. At the Falaknuma bus depot, the striking employees took out a mock funeral procession of the Chief Minister.

The RTC management was able to operate 125 buses from the MGBS and the Jubilee bus station to various destinations like Medak and Siddipet using contract drivers and conductors.

Meanwhile, the management has decided to withdraw the incentives and privileges being given to the union leaders. It accused the leaders of National Mazdoor Union, Telangana Mazdoor Union and Employees Union of inciting the workers to continue the strike despite several appeals from the management. (INN)