Hyderabad : Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar on Saturday ruled out merger of the TSRTC into the State government and it will not be privatized. He criticized the Opposition parties and TSRTC Union leaders and employees for the ongoing strike which reached eighth day on Saturday.
Stating that the TSRTC will be protected, the minister said the TRS did not favour merger of the RTC into the government. Ajay Kumar told the media that the TSRTC employees’ JAC and workers forced the strike on people and the government. He also accused the Opposition parties of leveling false charges against the TRS regime. He also said all the private buses belonging to schools will be taken out of their current duties so that the schools can utilize them to transport their students to and from the schools. “We will phase them out in a day or two,” he said.
The minister said the TRS never said it would merge the TSRTC into the government and asked whether any RTC was merged in the States being ruled by the Congress and the BJP. Ajay Kumar expressed displeasure at the TSRTC employees and unions launched strike at the instance of the Opposition parties, which were misguiding the people. He also flayed the Opposition parties for provoking the strike and causing hardship to innocent people. He also advised the State BJP leaders to know about privatization policy of the Centre in railways.
Stating that 7,358 buses are on the roads to prevent inconvenience to the people, Ajay said the value of the TSRTC assets was Rs 4,416 crore when Telangana State was formed and efforts were on to strengthen it. He said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has plans to strengthen the RTC as a matter of policy and charged the RTC Union leaders with conspiring against functioning of Tim machines.
There will be no further parleys with the striking crew as the RTC committee has completed its work to recruit temporary staff through training, Ajay said, adding that to use police services at RM level officers in the RTC and allow bus passes. He said the TRS Government gave 44 percent fitment to RTC employees against its promise of 25 percent. The minister warned that severe action will be taken against the private operators and carriages for over charging the people. (NSS)
Minister rules out RTC merger with govt, slams Opposition
