Bus services resume in Karnataka as two-day strike ends

State government agrees to some of the main demands of the striking employees with immediate effect

State-run transport corporations resumed regular operations from Saturday morning following the settlement reached between the employees and the government late Friday evening.

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) have commenced their services giving relief to millions of commuters that were stranded across the state. About 9,500 buses had gone off the road for two days.

The two-day old indefinite strike by employees of state-run transport corporations had thrown normal life out of gear in Karnataka as the government had refused to yield to the demands of employees of all the four transport corporations.

State Transport Minister R Ashoka said strike had been withdrawn with immediate effect following the settlement reached between the government and Joint Committee of Trade Unions of State Road Transport Undertakings. As per the new settlement, the state government would suffer an additional burden of Rs 250 crore on the four transport corporations over the next four years.

“The unions’ main demand for merging the Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) of 76 per cent with the Basic Salary (after the 10 per cent hike) with effect from April 1, 2012, had been accepted,” Ashoka said.

The government has also agreed to form a committee within a month to address other concerns’ of the unions, he said.

The government also agreed to release all those arrested and withdraw notices issued to employees during the strike. Showcause notices served on trainee employees also would be withdrawn, he said.

The trainee drivers and conductors would be paid an additional Rs 1,000 a month from September, which would earn them Rs 8,000 a month. The government has agreed to regularize the services of trainees immediately on completion of their training period of two years.