Contract Drivers' Protest Disrupts KKRTC Bus Services in Vijayanagara
Transport services in Huvinahadagali, part of the Vijayanagara district, faced significant disruption on Tuesday as 28 contract drivers attached to the local Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) depot staged a protest. The drivers boycotted their duties, demanding immediate payment of pending salaries and provident fund dues from a private agency that employs them.
Allegations of Unpaid Wages and PF Mismanagement
The drivers, who are employed through a security service agency, alleged that the agency has withheld their salaries for the past two months. Additionally, they claimed that Rs 2,800 has been deducted monthly from their wages over the last three years for provident fund contributions, but these amounts have not been deposited into their PF accounts. This financial mismanagement has severely impacted their livelihoods, with some drivers reporting difficulties in paying their children's school fees. In one case, school authorities withheld an SSLC examination hall ticket due to unpaid fees.
Drivers' Grievances and Demands
The protesting drivers expressed frustration over irregular salary payments, which they say make it challenging to manage daily expenses. They also alleged that the agency failed to pay the promised monthly salary of Rs 25,000. Furthermore, drivers reported instances where they were not assigned work upon reporting to the depot and were fined Rs 590 per day for errors they did not commit. When they raised these issues with KKRTC depot and divisional officials, they were told to approach the agency directly, as they are not direct employees of the transport corporation. However, the agency has reportedly been unresponsive to their grievances.
The drivers have put forth several demands, including:
- Immediate deposit of pending salaries and deducted PF amounts.
- Payment of salaries before the 10th of every month.
- Establishment of clear service rules for contract drivers.
They emphasized that they will only resume duty after transport department officials engage in discussions with the agency and provide a firm assurance that their issues will be resolved. Key leaders of the protest include contract drivers Naveen, Nagaraj, Prashanth, Ujaratti Veeresh, Sharanappa, Anand, and Prabhu.
KKRTC Response and Operational Impact
KKRTC senior divisional controller Rajesh Huddar acknowledged the situation, stating that the agency's contract period has expired, leading to delays in salary payments. He noted that the corporation holds a deposit of Rs 60 lakh from the agency, which could be used to pay the outstanding salaries. Huddar said, "We asked the drivers to report for duty, but they were not convinced. It is true that there was some disruption in bus operations today due to their strike. If the strike continues tomorrow, we will deploy our own staff to operate the buses."
The strike resulted in the shutdown of more than 25 rural bus routes, causing significant inconvenience to the public and students who depend on these services for daily travel. The disruption highlights broader issues in the management of contract labor within public transport systems.
