Hyderabad: Normal life in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana was kicked off the team for the second day on Friday after employees of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) continued their strike for wage increases.
Normal office assistants and passengers had a difficult time after APSRTC buses stayed away from the roads, though they had made alternative arrangements.
APSRTC employees protested in different places in the two states, demanding a 43% increase in their salaries. They tried to prevent buses to be operated by temporary staff APSRTC introduced by management to run bus services with a police escort.
Incidentally, the APSRTC still not divided between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana next fork in 2014.
The APSRTC is the main public transport company which operates more than 20,000 passenger buses in both states. APSRTC buses cover approximately 79.83 lakh kilometers and 156.78 lakh people lead their daily destinations.
APSRTC Director General N Sambasiva Rao said that about 38% of bus services were operated until sunset and the number would rise further by the end of the day. Stressing the high demand for bus services due to ongoing reviews, the wedding season and the next opposition, which appealed to employees APSRTC protest to stop the strike and resume functions.
Rao said the state government of Andhra Pradesh has appointed a cabinet sub-committee to hold talks with the striking employees APSRTC and added that employees should come to the negotiations and address the issue in a friendly manner.
He urged the managements of the engineering school and college to run the buses for free for a maximum of 2.50 lakh students scheduled for Engineering, Agriculture, Medical Common Entrance Test (EAMCET) on Saturday.
Andhra Pradesh Minister of Human Resources Development Ganta Srinivasa Rao also appealed APSRTC personnel to report for duty because of exams for students. Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao told reporters that 12,000 buses, about 4,000 buses operating in the state.
The share of bus services will run tomorrow could go up to 55%, he said. He said the government of Andhra Pradesh would make arrangements to ensure that students are appearing for EAMCET am not bothered.
Said a wage increase of 43% was looking for APSRTC employees would a load of Rs 936 million rupees in the organization that currently causes a loss of Rs 1,800 crore, said the minister.
APSRTC employees have demanded a 43% increase in wages as given to state government employees of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana but management expressed their inability to do so due to the poor financial situation of the organization.
However, the APSRTC management said it is willing to give up to 27% increase in wages.
