Statewide Transport Strike Paralyzes Commuters; Mixed Impact in Bengaluru Despite High Court Order
Bengaluru: Despite the Karnataka High Court issuing an interim directive to defer the strike, transport services across the state were severely disrupted on Tuesday due to an indefinite strike called by road transport corporation employees. Their primary demands include pending salaries for 38 months, regularisation, and other welfare assurances.
While most districts including Belagavi, Hassan, Mysuru, Mandya, Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapur, Davanagere, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Chamarajanagar, Tumakuru, Kodagu, Kalaburagi and Bidar witnessed complete halts in public bus services, Bengaluru reported only partial impact.
Commuters unaware of the strike gathered at bus terminals, only to find limited or no services. In Belagavi, Commissioner of Police Gulabrao Borse and DCP Narayana Burmani were seen assisting stranded passengers by arranging alternative transport using private buses and vehicles.
In Hubballi, miscreants attacked a Karnataka RTC bus en route to Hosapete, pelting stones near the Hubballi bypass. The front windshield was damaged, but fortunately, no passengers were injured.
In Kalaburagi, all government bus services came to a standstill, leaving passengers stranded. The transport and police departments coordinated with private operators to provide temporary services. A similar situation prevailed in Mysuru, where both city and rural depots suspended operations to multiple districts.
Bengaluru Sees Partial Response to Strike:
In Bengaluru, the response to the strike was mixed. Following the government’s warning of disciplinary action, most BMTC drivers and conductors reported to duty, ensuring near-normal operations. However, several commuters switched to private cabs, autos, Ola, Uber, and the Namma Metro, resulting in lower-than-usual ridership on BMTC buses during the morning.
KSRTC Federation Defers Strike Following Court Order:
Following the Karnataka High Court’s direction, the KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation President H.V. Anantha Subbarao announced the postponement of the strike. He added that the unions would continue discussions with the government to fulfill their longstanding demands.
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