RTC staff to stage protests across state on July 4 & 5
The Andhra Pradesh Public Transport Department (APPTD) Employees' Union announced on Tuesday that it will stage statewide protests and conduct gate meetings at all 129 RTC depots on July 4 and 5.
These demonstrations are a protest against the government's and RTC management's inaction in resolving their pending problems. RTC employees plan to wear red badges at the depots to express their discontent.
The decision came during the APPTD state executive body meeting here, where the union discussed its long-standing grievances. The union's state meeting urged the government to immediately resolve critical issues affecting thousands of RTC employees across the state.
Union leaders submitted a representation to APPTD commissioner and APSRTC vice-chairman and managing director Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, detailing their demands and asking the RTC management to address them.
APPTD Employees' Union president Palisetty Damodara Rao and general secretary G V Narasaiah raised several key demands. They stated that 3,000 RTC employees have been waiting for promotions for over six years and urged the RTC management to secure approval from the state government to grant these promotions.
They also pressed the RTC to obtain government approval to recruit 10,000 new staff in the APSRTC and to purchase new buses. This recruitment and fleet expansion, they noted, are essential to support the implementation of the free travel facility for women from August 15, 2025, onwards.
The union has also sought release of pending DA arrears and 11th PRC arrears, and immediate settlement of retirement benefits for employees, including the immediate disbursement of gratuity and leave encashment to retired personnel.
Furthermore, they demanded that the RTC management implement the Retired Employees Medical Scheme (REMS) according to guidelines issued by the CEO of NTR Vaidya Vidhana Parishat Trust.
They also insisted that the RTC procure electric buses directly and hand them over to APSRTC, thereby avoiding the leasing of depots to private operators. Finally, the union urged the RTC to train existing RTC staff to operate new electric buses, restore referral hospital-based medical services under the old system, offer alternative posts to medically unfit employees, and implement pending compassionate appointments.
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