Bus strike enters third day: Talks end abruptly

Taxis make a killing by charging up to Rs. 2,000 per head for a drop to Bengaluru

Mysore/Mysuru: The snap strike launched by KSRTC workers seeking Government employee status entered the third day today and today too not a single bus moved onto the roads from various depots in city.

City and Sub-Urban Bus Stands wore a deserted look while the Sub-Urban Bus Stand had a few passengers who were seen waiting for Kerala State Transport Corporation and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses which plied as usual. Passengers who had booked tickets in KSRTC buses to other parts of the State reached the Bus Stand only to find services affected.

The major demands of the protesters are that they be brought under the Government’s payroll and be provided the same privileges and incentives as Government employees. They have also sought compensation of Rs. 30 lakh to transport workers who died on COVID duty.

With no solution in sight, passengers who are severely inconvenienced were put to a lot of hardship. Private buses, taxis, autos and other passenger transport vehicles are making a kill charging exorbitant fares from passengers.

Today, a good number of private buses, mini buses, taxis, cabs and even autos lined up before the KSRTC Bus Stands to pick up waiting passengers. 

For a drop to Bengaluru, buses and taxis were seen charging anywhere between Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000 per head. Autorickshaw drivers, who usually operate within the city limits, were seen ferrying passengers to destinations such as Mandya, Bannur and Nanjangud.

Some auto drivers were charging Rs. 200 per head to Mandya, ferrying 5-6 passengers in the vehicle at a time. However, there was some relief for passengers travelling to various destinations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as Kerala SRTC and Tamil Nadu STC buses operated as usual.

Meanwhile, employees of Mysuru Division KSRTC staged a demonstration near the Deputy Commissioner’s office. They maintained that there was no question of ending the indefinite stir until their demands are met.

Meeting with union leaders ends abruptly

The much anticipated meeting between Transport Minister Lakshman Savadi and KSRTC Trade Union leaders at Bengaluru this morning to break the ice made no headway as Union leaders maintained that they had not called the strike and as such the Minister should hold talks with those who are supporting the strike. 

Following this contention of the Trade Union leaders, Savadi was forced to cut short the meeting as he saw no point in continuing with the talks.