KCR rules out RTC merger talks with JAC; High Court serves notices to recognized unions

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Mr K Chandrashekhara Rao dismissed any chance of holding talks with JAC leaders while asserting that there will not be any merger of TSRTC with the state government. If RTC employees don’t report for duty, their services will be terminated, he clarified. The State government will take up new recruitments to fill the vacant jobs. The Chief Minister has appointed a committee which will work on evolving a model for running TSRTC with a public-private partnership.

“The TSRTC employees have committed a serious blunder. We will not compromise with the RTC unions as they're blackmailing the government. If the employees don't report for duty, the TSRTC management will not accept them into the service. Only 1,200 employees are left with the RTC. We have taken measures to operate 2,500 buses immediately on hire basis. The government will take up new recruitment very soon. The newly recruited employees should sign an agreement stating that they won't join any union. The new recruitment will be conditional hiring in addition to a probation period as well,” said Mr KCR.

Chief Minister KCR led a meeting on Sunday and decided on a bus fleet comprising of the RTC and private owners.

“We will strategise a plan to make RTC a profitable organisation within three years. TSRTC management should explore cargo transportation for additional revenues. About one crore passengers travel by 10,400 RTC buses. The average salary of RTC employees is Rs 50,000 per month. There's no point in demanding for a salary hike. The state government wouldn’t tolerate blackmailing politics,” clarifies CM KCR.

The state government is also keen on the 4,114 private buses available now. They would come under the RTC if allowed stage carriage. The officials of the TSRTC and transport department are holding discussions on the proposal.

Ministers P Ajay Kumar, Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary SK Joshi, special principal secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP Mahender Reddy, transport secretary Sunil Sharma, CMO principal secretary S Narsing Rao, CMO special secretary Bhupal Reddy, transport commissioner Sandeep Sultania, additional DGP Jitendra and other officials participated in the meeting held at Pragati Bhavan.

The state government has set up a committee led by Mr Sunil Sharma. Sandeep Sultania, TSRTC executive directors, joint transport commissioner Mr Panduranganayakulu are the members of the Committee. Mr Sharma will submit a report to the Chief Minister on Monday.

“We have to find a solution to the problem woven around the RTC for the past 40 years. The new Telangana state is progressing in several areas. But, TSRTC unions are blackmailing the state government. The strike call is illegal and irresponsible. The common man is suffering. Lakhs of families are facing problems in reaching their villages to celebrate Bathukamma and Dasara festivals. People are angry with the RTC unions, which don't have the right to demand an RTC merger. Did CPM merge RTC with West Bengal government or Kerala government? BJP is ruling several states. I question the BJP whether it merged RTC with the state government in any state? When Congress was ruling, did that party merge RTC in any state?" said CM KCR.

People will dissolve govt, warns BJP

BJP-Telangana unit president Dr K Laxman stated that Chief Minister Mr K Chandrashekhara Rao is ruling the state like a dictator.

"If the TRS government dismisses the employees for participating in the strike, then people will pull down the government. The state government should hold discussions with the unions in an amicable manner," said Dr Laxman.

High Courts notices to unions

High Court Judge Rajashekhar Reddy completed the hearings on the RTC strike and adjourned it to October 10. The petitioner, on behalf of the Telangana government, requested the judge to order for an immediate withdrawal of strike. The demands of the unions are not rational and passengers are suffering a lot, said the counsel.