As MSRTC strike continues, Bombay High Court tells Maharashtra govt to form panel

Passengers at MSRTC Sukarwadi bus depot in Borivli on Monday. Pic/Satej Shinde

A near-total strike by employees crippled the operations of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation on Monday, inconveniencing thousands of passengers across the state. While the Bombay High Court in the evening asked the state to form a special committee to look into the grievances of MSRTC staffers, the government allowed private operators to use school buses and other vehicles to ferry MSRTC passengers.

During the day, work suffered at 223 of 250 depots as employees stuck to the demand of being treated on a par with state government employees and that their pending dues be cleared at the earliest. As it ordered the state to form a special committee, the HC said the panel must include additional chief secretary and principal secretary of the Finance department, additional chief secretary of the Transport department, and the MD of MSRTC as the coordinator. The government has been told to submit a report within 12 weeks.

Protesting MSRTC employees at Kurla ST depot on Monday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

However, MSRTC employees refused to call off the strike saying they were not happy with Maharashtra government's notification. They said it is completely silent on their demand for a merger of the transport corporation with the state government. Sangharsh ST Kamgar Union co-ordinator Shashank Sharad Rao said in a statement that the government should stop playing "committee games" and that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray must take a call on their merger demand. Transport Minister Anil Parab appealed to the employees to call off the strike and said that the special committee would look into all issues before submitting its report.

Passengers suffer

"I had booked a ticket on an MSRTC bus. When I reached the Nanded bus stand, I found that all the buses were cancelled. I tried to cancel my ticket, but was unable to do that. I request the MSRTC to issue a refund to me," said Junaid Ahmed from Nanded. Another passenger who did not want to be identified said, "MSRTC is pathetic. My Shivneri bus from Thane-Wakad was cancelled yesterday. I had booked the ticket through the MSRTC mobile App. Now, I'm being told to visit the depot for a refund." Pune resident Sopan Suryavanshi, who uses MSRTC frequently, said, "Private vans are looting common people so the government should take an immediate decision to stop the ongoing strike at MSRTC."

Private operators get govt nod to ferry bus passengers

Meanwhile, Baba Shinde of Maharashtra Rajya Freight and Passenger Transport Association appealed to the state government to allow private bus operators to operate at MSRTC rates to ferry stranded passengers. Left with no choice, the government accepted their request.