Transport Dept. union seeks restoration of 4,000 bus services ‘cancelled in last five years’ in Andhra Pradesh

Re-introduction of the old medical policy, payment of night allowance and filling up of vacancies are some of the other demands placed before the Transport Minister by the APPTD-APSRTC union

Adequate financial assistance is required to augment the APSRTC’s fleet with new buses, the union leaders said in their memorandum to M. Ramprasad Reddy. | Photo Credit: File photo

Leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Public Transport Department (APPTD - APSRTC) Employees Union have urged Transport Minister M. Ramprasad Reddy to address the issues faced by the public transport sector employees.

The union’s State president P. Damodara Rao and general secretary G.V. Narasaiah met the Minister on July 30 (Tuesday) and submitted a memorandum of their 21 demands to him. They said the APSRTC was in need of immediate financial support to address key issues that have been adversely affecting the smooth functioning of the corporation.

Pointing out that 4,000 bus services in various routes across the State had been cancelled in the last five years, they demanded their restoration and adequate financial assistance to buy new buses to be added to the APSRTC’s fleet. There were many vacant posts in almost all categories, they said, seeking immediate measures to fill the posts, particularly the posts of drivers, conductors and staff in garages and clerks.

They sought repayment of the ₹70 crore recovered from employees’ payments towards their Provident Fund (PF) and ₹60 crore under the employee’s Credit Cooperative Society (CCS). They also demanded restoration of the allowances and incentives which was paid to the employees in the past, but was cancelled after their merger into the government and revival of the medical scheme for the retired employees, which had also been cancelled.

They said that before the APSRTC employees’ merger with the Public Transport Department, they were extended medical services through referral hospitals, which, after the merger, was replaced with the “ineffective” Employees Health Scheme (EHS). They wanted re-introduction of the old policy of referral hospital services.

They said the employees who were declared medically unfit on various health grounds should be given alternative jobs. The issue of cadre strength should be addressed immediately and promotions should be given to the deserving candidates, they said, demanding the payment of night allowances, along with payment of salaries every month.