Date:03/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/03/stories/2008060352630300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

‘Guidelines violated in introducing hire buses’

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: The North-East Coast Region of APSRTC while introducing hire buses in all the depots in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts has violated the Government guidelines and in the name of ‘excess staff’ it is now trying to effect transfers of conductors, P. Sankar Rao, State joint secretary of RTC Employees Union, has said.

The Government has proposed replacement of old vehicles with 20 per cent of hire buses but in this region the percentage has crossed 50 per cent. he alleged.

Dharna staged

The union members on Monday staged a dharna at the RTC depot here in protest against the violation of guidelines.

Later, talking to reporters, Mr. Sankara Rao said two months ago half of the 150 hire buses sanctioned were inducted into the existing fleet in Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram and Salur depots ‘unauthorizedly’.

The hire buses, the management felt, would earn good returns but in fact the corporation had been losing heavily, Mr. Sankara Rao said and added that out of 100 drivers appointed on contract a year ago 70 were retrenched so far in two phases.

In spite of shortage of conductors they were being posted to work on hire buses, he added.

Union leaders DSS Raju, D. Aruna, PRK Raju and others were present.