RTC JAC to continue agitation until written assurance is issued

The Andhra Pradesh Public Transport Department (APPTD)-APSRTC Employees’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Thursday said it would continue its third phase of agitation until the assurances given by the APSRTC management during talks are formally recorded and communicated in writing.

The decision was announced after discussions between APSRTC Vice-Chairman and Managing Director N. Balasubramanyam and JAC representatives led by conveners Y. Srinivasa Rao and P. Damodara Rao.

Addressing the media after the meeting, the JAC leaders said the management had agreed to issue the official minutes of the meeting incorporating the assurances made during the discussions.

They said the management had also agreed in principle to reopen the four depots that were earlier closed. The JAC State Executive Committee would meet after receiving the written minutes and decide on its future course of action. Until then, the third phase of the agitation, announced earlier to oppose the alleged privatisation of APSRTC through private electric bus operations, would continue as scheduled, they said.

The JAC has been demanding that all electric buses be procured and operated directly by APSRTC instead of private operators. It has also sought the reopening of the four closed depots, withdrawal of tenders issued to private electric bus operators, and protection of employees’ interests while strengthening the State-run public transport system.

JAC co-conveners P.V. Ramana Reddy, G.V. Narasayya, Ch. Sundarayya, S.V. Seshagiri Rao and K. Surya Prakash Rao, besides other union leaders were also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, Mr. Balasubramanyam said the State government was framing its electric bus policy in-line with the Centre’s push for eco-friendly public transport while ensuring that the interests of APSRTC employees were safeguarded. He said the management had accepted nearly 90% of the demands raised by the Employees’ JAC and expressed confidence that the remaining issues could also be resolved through dialogue.