Amid Intensified Stir, Telangana HC Adjourns Hearing on Weeks-long Strike of Transport Employees

Hyderabad: Even as transport employees in the state intensified its stir on Monday, the Telangana High Court adjourned the hearing on the weeks-long strike to Tuesday.

Nearly 48,000 employees of the corporation have been on an indefinite strike from October 5 across Telangana, demanding merger of the corporation with the government transport department and pay revision, among others.

However, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has said under no circumstances would the TSRTC be merged with the government. Terming the stir as “illegal”, he has said it caused immense inconvenience to the public.

When Chief Secretary SK appealed to the court to announce the strike as illegal under the Industries Disputes Act for avoiding talks and allow the government to take necessary steps, the judge said it cannot do so as the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) is a public utility body and does not come under essential services.

While reiterating the government’s stand that talks are not possible as the employee unions continue to insist on merger demand, Joshi said it was not possible to pay Rs 47 crore to the ailing corporation as part of the revival package.

Regarding privatisation of 5,100 bus routes in the state, the Court said the stay on the matter would continue till the case is resolved.

The government has reportedly told the court about its decision on privatisation following norms of the amended Motor Vehicles Act.

The court will petition on revision of salaries of TSRTC staff on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the agitation employees residences of parliamentarians and members of legislative assembly and council of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) across the state as part of the planned protest.

They want the chief minister to call the unions for talks on merger and other demands.