Ordeal for commuters continues as bus men strike enters 7th day

Hyderabad: The miseries of commuters continued with the private operators including the maxi cabs and other vehicles charging exorbitantly as the strike by TSRTC workers entered seventh day on Friday. The workers met all political party leaders to get their support.

The long-distance travellers were the most affected on Friday as many of them were returning from their native places after the festival holidays. Even though the government is claiming to have operated enough buses, the commuters were made to wait for the buses for hours to reach to their destination. During normal days, around 1,500 buses were operated from CBS but presently only 200 to 250 buses were being operated and same is the situation in JBS.

The TSRTC workers unions JAC met several political party leaders and sought their support for the strike. The JAC leaders met Congress leaders including MLA D Sridhar Babu, MP A Revanth Reddy, BJP State unit chief K Laxman, and TDP Politburo member Ravula Chandrashekar Reddy.

When the JAC leaders came to Assembly to meet CLP leader M Bhatti Vikramarka, the security personnel stopped them at the main gate. Sridhar Babu came out and met the workers and expressed solidarity with the RTC staff.

Talking to reporters JAC convener E Ashwadhama Reddy said that they were not fighting for their salaries but to save the RTC. "The workers made sacrifices during Telangana agitation. Our salaries and allowances are not the issues, but our aim is to save the asset of the people like RTC," said Ashwadhama Reddy.

Replying to a question, he said that the workers were not in a position to hear the words of Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud. The Tourism Minister gave a statement on Friday that he would take the workers to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao if they call of their strike.

The political party leaders supported the workers strike stating that their demands were justifiable. They urged the government to call the workers for talks. The JAC leaders condemned the misbehaviour of police against a woman conductor in Warangal.

He said that the workers have been meeting political parties to seek their support. JAC leader K Raji Reddy said that because of illogical decisions of government, the RTC workers were losing their lives. Criminal case should be booked against the Chief Minister for deaths of two drivers, he said.

Meanwhile, the RTC officials have decided to use the TIMs (ticket issuing machines) to give tickets to the passengers. Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar directed the officials to increase vigilance strength and start using TIMs.