Only 40 buses run from Ranigunj bus depot

Ranigunj: Only 40 buses are being operated from Ranigunj depot, utilising services of temporary drivers and conductors. As many as 214 services used to be run from Depo 1 and 230 services from Depo 2 prior to the strike.

In view of the RTC employees strike, appointments for temporary drivers and conductors were being made by the depo managers based on eligibility. The selected conductor candidates were being sent on duties after collecting their 10th class certificates.

Driver candidates, with 18 months experience in heavy driving, were being appointed, based on results in trial tests. A daily wage of Rs 1,500 is being paid to drivers and Rs 1,000 to conductors.

According to depot managers Uma Maheshwar Rao and Bheem Reddy, conductors were collecting money directly from passengers as there was no time to give training to issue tickets through machines.

The collected money is kept in covers and being handed over to higher officials, they said. Of a total of 296 drivers and 306 conductors in Ranigunj depo 1 and 325 drivers and 301 conductors in depo 2, none of the employees reported to duty on Wednesday. Police made elaborate security arrangements to prevent untoward incidents at depots.