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New Indian Express
31-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
TGSRTC Bus drivers urge reforms as staff crunch, long working hours take toll on health
HYDERABAD: The recent incident of a TGSRTC bus carrying 28 passengers veering off course in Banswada, Kamareddy district after the driver collapsed due to dizziness has reignited concerns over the extended working hours endured by Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) drivers. 'Driving an overcrowded bus through congested roads is exhausting,' Y Ravinder Reddy, a TGSRTC driver, told TNIE. 'We work 12 to 15 hours daily, leaving us completely drained,' he added. He also said that drivers are often blamed for accidents caused by reckless motorists, recalling a June 19 incident in Attapur where a fellow driver was assaulted after a tragic accident involving a pregnant woman. TGSRTC Joint Action Committee (JAC) Chairman Eduru Venkanna stated that long hours are severely affecting drivers' health. 'High blood pressure, diabetes and heart attacks have become common. Nearly 250 drivers face severe health ailments each year while on duty,' he claimed. He added that the lack of recruitment has increased the workload. 'The Motor Transport Workers Act mandates eight-hour shifts, but many drivers work up to 15 hours without weekly offs,' he said. TGSRTC JAC Vice-Chairman M Thomas Reddy highlighted the mental, physical, and financial stress faced by drivers. 'The corporation hasn't made any recruitment in 11 years, and many face suspensions for minor issues. No promotions are given, leading to demoralisation. The government must enforce eight-hour shifts, recruit staff, and improve welfare measures,' he urged. TGSRTC Managing Director VC Sajjanar responded that several measures have been introduced for employee welfare. 'In 2022 and 2024, we held the 'Grand Health Challenge', screening over 50,000 employees. Around 700–800 were identified as high-risk,' he said, adding that a state-wide health camp is planned by year-end. To reduce driver stress, 800 contract staff have been inducted. Drivers with serious health issues are reassigned to roles like conductor or security. Additionally, two health volunteers are deployed at each depot to monitor staff health. 'There are 14 RTC dispensaries across the state, and critical cases are referred to the Tarnaka RTC Hospital,' a TGSRTC official added.
Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Over 6,000 buses could stay off Telangana roads from Wednesday as transport workers firm on strike
Employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) are gearing up for a strike their Joint Action Committee (JAC) has called from Wednesday, with nearly 41,000 employees and 6,000-plus buses expected to be off the roads, affecting over 60 lakh passengers daily. With only a day to go for the strike, the JAC has decided to go ahead despite assurances from Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. On Monday evening, the JAC led a labour march from RTC Kala Bhavan to Bus Bhavan to show the strength and unity of the employees ahead of the strike. The JAC has a long list of 21 demands that they wish to be resolved with support from the management and the government. Key demands include the implementation of the long-pending merger of the RTC with the state government, implementation of two Pay Revision Commissions (PRC), payment of pending dues towards the Credit Cooperative Society (CCS) and the employees' provident fund, wage revision and pending allowances, scrapping the extended work schedule, stopping privatisation and investing in electric buses, lifting restrictions on trade unions, implementation of the Motor Transport Workers Act, and jobs under the breadwinner scheme on a regular basis. 'The government, in its election manifesto, said all TSRTC employees will be integrated into the government, wage revisions will be made, unions will be revived, RTC will be developed in every way and new buses will be purchased. But even after 18 months of coming to power, the Congress party has not integrated the RTC employees into the government, and their problems have not been resolved,' K Hanumanthu Mudiraj, co-chairman of the JAC, said on Monday. In response to the strike call, Ponnam Prabhakar recently assured the employees that the government was ready to discuss their demands and urged them to reconsider the strike in light of the corporation's improving financial situation. Revanth Reddy has also appealed to the workers to call off the strike, stating that the RTC is beginning to make profits and that a strike would be detrimental to the organisation's progress. He has also pointed out steps taken to clear some of the pending dues from the previous government. 'Giving statements in the press is one thing and officially inviting the JAC for talks is one. We have not received such invitations for talks from the government or the minister's office. Our demands are genuine and the ball is in the court of the government,' said M Thomas Reddy, vice-chairman of the JAC, when contacted. On Monday, the TGSRTC issued a statement appealing to its employees against participating in the strike. 'Every rupee that the organization earns is being spent for your welfare. As you all know, despite financial difficulties, the management provided the long-pending 2017 PRC with a 21% fitment in May 2024. The 10 pending DAs from 2019 have been released in phases. ₹280 crore related to RPS-2013 bonds has been paid. For the past three and a half years, salaries have been paid on the 1st of every month without fail. PF and CCS recovery amounts are being paid regularly every month, and the management is gradually reducing the arrears,' the statement read. Further, it added that the organisation prioritised the welfare of the employees despite the financial difficulties. 'A strike at this juncture, when the organization is just recovering and moving on the path of development, will cause irreparable damage to the organization and the employees…Strikes are prohibited in RTC as per the ESMA Act. As per the rules of the organization, a strike is illegal. Legal action will be taken against those responsible for threatening employees or obstructing duties in the name of a strike,' the statement said, adding that the management was committed to resolving the problems of the employees with the cooperation of the state government. Thomas Reddy responded that it has been three months since the JAC gave a strike notice to the TGSRTC management. 'We were not called for a meeting. The labour commissioner called the management twice for a meeting with JAC and each time, the management did not respond. On May 1, the chief minister assured us that our grievances would be resolved. Neither the government nor the management has come forward yet. The transport minister's office also has not invited us officially,' he said. Reddy said the government should not hide behind excuses such as financial constraints to meet its electoral promises. 'With no recruitment, the workload on employees has immensely increased. Instead of eight hours, employees are working 16 hours. There is no representation for workers due to lack of trade unions,' he said, adding that the JAC was still willing as well as waiting for official talks with the government.
