Daily life across Karnataka was severely disrupted on Tuesday as employees of all four road transport corporations in the state began their indefinite strike.
Thousands of daily passengers were left in the lurch as the government buses went off the road in all major cities and towns.
Employees’ union of KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC decided to go ahead with the strike even as the Karnataka High Court on Monday issued an interim stay against their agitations.
In cities like Bengaluru and Mangaluru, the stranded passengers were seen struggling to find alternate ways to reach their destinations in time. According to reports, private bus operators and cab aggregators allegedly made a killing as a result of the strike.
In Bengaluru, reports said, passengers are also complaining that autorickshaw drivers are charging exorbitant fares.
A few buses were seen operating, especially in rural areas, as some of the staff chose not to participate in the strike. According to a PTI report, the transport corporations have roped in trainee bus drivers to manage the situation.
Heavy passenger rush was visible in cities like Chikkamagaluru, Raichur, Chitradurga, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Mangaluru and Mysuru in the early morning, but most of them had to look for alternate ways to reach their destinations.
The employees’ union called for the strike, raising several demands, including a wage revision. They are also firm that their 38 months of arrears be paid and a salary hike from January 1, 2024, be implemented.
On Monday, the talks held between the union representatives and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah failed to make any breakthrough.
The high court, while giving the interim stay to the agitation, observed that the people are likely to be put to hardship if the entire public transport operation is stalled.