The employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) are protesting across Hyderabad, with public transport affected in the city. The buses stayed off the roads from Tuesday (April 21) midnight after they began protests. Lakhs of commuters were stranded on the road as the public transport was affected. Only a handful of hired buses were operational, with most RTC services suspended.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday appealed to Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) employees on strike not to resort to any hasty actions such as suicide attempts, saying the government is making sincere efforts to resolve their demands. The CM's appeal came in the wake of an alleged suicide attempt by a Telangana Road Transport Corporation driver in Warangal district.
Observing that "suicide is not a solution", he directed ministers, led by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, to invite employee unions for talks on Friday. Reddy made it clear that the government is positive about addressing the problems of employees, a press release said.
A 50-year-old RTC driver allegedly set himself ablaze in the Warangal district, police said. The incident occurred earlier in the day while Telangana RTC employees were staging a protest in support of their demands.
The driver, Shankar Goud, allegedly poured petrol and set himself on fire in front of the Narsampet bus stand, resulting in severe burn injuries.
He has been shifted to the state-run MGM Hospital in Warangal for treatment, a police official said. The indefinite strike by employees of TSRTC entered its second day on Thursday, forcing passengers to rely on private transport.
Roads and Buildings Minister Venkat Reddy said an employee in Nalgonda also allegedly attempted suicide but did not suffer any injuries. He urged employees "not to fall for the designs of those provoking" them.
The state cabinet discussed the strike by RTC employees at a meeting presided over by the CM. State ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, D Sridhar Babu, C Damodar Rajanarasimha, and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who spoke to reporters, said the cabinet took up the strike as the first item on the agenda.
They appealed to the employees not to resort to any extreme steps, stating that the government considers its staff members part of its family. Prabhakar, the Transport Minister, said employees need to reflect on the circumstances that prevailed between 2014 and 2023, during the previous BRS regime, and compare them with the welfare measures taken by the Congress government since it assumed office in December 2023.
"The CM, deputy CM and ministers are appealing to you: do not take any hasty actions. The government is fully supportive of you. The cabinet sub-committee will meet tomorrow and listen to all your issues," he said.
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