• Candle-light protest in Mysuru this evening
• 60 Government buses damaged in State 
• RTCs register revenue loss of Rs.152 crore

Mysore/Mysuru: Even as the indefinite strike launched by the four State-run Transport Corporations — KSRTC, BMTC, NEKRTC and NWKRTC — seeking fulfilment of their various demands entered the ninth day today, more number of workers are reporting back for duty with each passing day. 

So far, 947 out of about 1,800 employees attached to four depots of KSRTC Mysuru City Division have reported for duty, while 845 out of the nearly 3,000 staff attached to Mysuru Rural Division have reported for work, according to KSRTC sources.

The employees are on strike since Apr.7 urging the Government to meet their nine-point charter of demands. While the Government has claimed that it has met eight of the nine demands, barring the Pay issue, the Transport Unions, refuting the Government’s claims, say that the bone of contention is salary as per the recommendation of Sixth Pay Commission.

Sources in Mysuru KSRTC said that 172 buses were operated on city routes from the City Bus Stand this morning to various extensions in city limits. However, the transport services to most of the villages are yet to resume as apprehensions still persist on possible damage to buses due to stone-pelting.

As far as Mysuru Rural Division is concerned, more than 60 buses operated on mofussil routes from the Sub-Urban Bus Stand today. However, most of the services were to Bengaluru.

Private buses and other Public Transport vehicles, which have been given temporary permission to operate on mofussil routes, plied as usual. As a convenience to commuters,  boards that mentioned the routes  and final destination were pasted on Private buses, Maxicabs etc.

Meanwhile, with no early resolution in sight for the ongoing  transport strike, State-run RTCs of neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Kerala have started operating additional trips from Mysuru, Bengaluru and Mangaluru to different destinations in their respective States. TNSTC (Tamil Nadu) is operating more buses to destinations such as Ooty, Gudalur, Coimbatore, Salem, Sathyamangala, Chennai, Dharmapuri and Erode, while Kerala STC is operating additional trips to Kozhikode, Manandavadi, Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kannur etc.  

Candle-light protest

Upping the ante against the Government, the striking transport staff will be holding a candle-light protest in Mysuru city this evening. The staff will be accompanied by their family members during the protest, the venue of which is yet to be finalised, it is learnt.

Buses damaged

Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who is also the Transport Minister, said on Wednesday that 60 buses of the four Transport Corporations have suffered damages in stone-pelting by striking employees so far.

The four RTCs have suffered a cumulative revenue loss of Rs.152 crore after the indefinite strike was launched on Apr. 7, Savadi said.