Karnataka bus strike hits border district of Belagavi; services disrupted at central bus stand

BELAGAVI: The statewide bus strike on Tuesday has impacted various parts the state, with the heat of the strike reaching the border district of Belagavi. Bus services were disrupted at the Belagavi central bus stand, and only a handful of buses were in operation.

Moreover, city, rural, inter-district and inter-state bus services were halted as transport workers were absent from duty in support of the protest. Due to this, passengers travelling to Goa, Maharashtra, and other inter-state and district locations were struggling. Passengers were waiting for hours for buses, and those heading to far-off places were facing hardship.

This protest comes after the workers from Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) held a strike, starting from 6 am today.

The protest has been called over demands, including the release of 38 months of outstanding salaries of transport employees, a wage revision to be made effective from January 1, 2024, privatisation and harassment of workers should stop, and drivers from the corporations should be assigned to electric buses as well.

Meanwhile, Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that the statewide bus strike was under way, but no major incidents have been reported so far. He added that police have made necessary security arrangements and that some buses are still running despite the strike.

Parameshwara said, “The strike by the employees is underway, but so far, no major untoward incidents have taken place… The police have already made adequate security arrangements. If there had been a complete shutdown, the public would have faced inconvenience. One union or group is operating the buses”.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that all BMTC buses are running and about 40 per cent of KSRTC buses are in service despite the ongoing strike. He said that the High Court had heard a PIL and asked that the strike be postponed for a day.

“In BMTC, 100 per cent buses are operating. In KSRCTC, 40 per cent buses are operating. On Monday, PIL was heard in the High Court, and the court directed that the strike be postponed for a day. We are waiting for the court orders…We have arranged buses on a contractual basis in view of this strike”, Reddy said. (ANI)