Striking RTC staff to face axe

Hyderabad: The state government in a major decision has decided to handle the TSRTC strike with an iron hand and revamp the entire TSRTC. This decision was taken by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao here on Sunday.

The state government wants to sack all those who have not met the deadline imposed by the government, go in for part privatisation of the RTC and do away with the trade unions so that there can be a turnaround in the financial health of the corporation.

The Chief Minister made it clear that there was no question of merging TSRTC with the government. He expressed his ire over the unions for resorting to "black mailing tactics" and having caused inconvenience for the passengers who wanted to go to their native places to celebrate Dasara.

The chief minister felt this should be the last strike in the history of the TSRTC.

The meeting decided that the RTC should run with private participation. He said that 50 per cent of its fleet should be privatised. He said this would help in reducing financial burden on the corporation to a great extent.

If 50 per cent of services are privatised then the RTC will have to only provide that many conductors. It can save money that is being paid as salaries to drivers who now earn about Rs 50,000 a month, the government felt.

He further said that the new appointees should give written undertaking that they will not join any trade union. This will put an end to the menace of unions, KCR felt. A three-member committee has been constituted to study the nitty-gritty of these decisions and seek legal opinion as well.

The chief minister is said to have remarked that these measures would end the malaise that had affected the corporation for last four decades and would put the TSRTC back on track in next 15 days.

The CM instructed the officials to hire 2,500 buses immediately. Another 4,114 private buses which are providing services in the state will be hired as stage carriers.

He also wanted to strengthen the RTC cargo service by utilising the expertise of the talented work forces in the coming days.