Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 5 : The Karnataka High Court's directive to withdraw the transport strike has been complied with, and the strike was called off. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed regarding the ongoing strike, prompting the court's intervention.
The High Court issued a notice to the transport unions, directing them to withdraw the strike. Although union leaders claimed they hadn't received direct notice, they complied with the court's directions after receiving clear instructions.
This protest comes after the workers from Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) held a strike, starting from 6 am today.
The protest has been called over demands, including the release of 38 months of outstanding salaries of transport employees, a wage revision to be made effective from January 1, 2024, the privatisation and harassment of workers should stop, and drivers from the company should be assigned to electric buses as well.
The Karnataka state-wide bus strike on Tuesday also impacted the state, with the heat of the strike reaching the border district of Belagavi. Bus services were disrupted at the Belagavi central bus stand, with only a handful of buses operating.
Moreover, city, rural, inter-district, and inter-state bus services were halted as transport workers were absent from duty in support of the protest. Due to this, passengers travelling to Goa, Maharashtra, and other inter-state and district locations struggled. Passengers waited hours for buses, and those heading to far-off places faced hardship.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara today also said that the state-wide bus strike is underway, but no major incidents have been reported so far. He added that police have made necessary security arrangements and that some buses are still running despite the strike.
Speaking to ANI, G Parameshwara said, "The strike by the employees is underway, but so far, no major untoward incidents have taken place... The police have already made adequate security arrangements. If there had been a complete shutdown, the public would have faced inconvenience. One union or group is operating the buses."
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that all BMTC buses are running and about 40 per cent of KSRTC buses are in service despite the ongoing strike. He said that the High Court had heard a PIL and asked that the strike be postponed for a day.
"In BMTC, 100% buses are operating. In KSRCTC, 40% buses are operating. Yesterday, a PIL was heard in the High Court, and the court directed that the strike be postponed for a day. We are waiting for the court orders...We have arranged buses on a contractual basis given this strike," Reddy said.