38,000 Telangana RTC Workers Go on Strike, 6,000 Buses Halted

A statewide transport disruption has begun in Telangana after thousands of employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) went on strike from midnight. The protest follows unsuccessful discussions between worker unions and officials over a list of 32 demands.

Talks between both sides continued for more than four hours but failed to produce an agreement, prompting nearly 38,000 employees to proceed with the strike. As a result, around 6,000 buses are likely to remain off the roads, creating major inconvenience for daily commuters.

The strike is expected to affect travel for more than five lakh passengers across the state. With bus services halted, many people are likely to depend heavily on alternative transport options such as metro rail and MMTS trains, which may see a surge in passenger traffic.

Earlier discussions were held on Tuesday between union leaders and a government-appointed panel. The committee included senior officials from key departments such as roads & buildings, labour, and finance, along with the managing director of TGSRTC. However, no breakthrough was achieved during these meetings.

Union representatives have been pressing for several key demands, including the merger of RTC with the state government, conducting union elections, and implementing salary structures equivalent to those of government employees. They have also sought long-pending wage revisions and clearance of dues such as provident fund contributions and cooperative society payments.

TGSRTC Managing Director Y Nagireddy stated that a special panel of IAS officers has already been formed to study the demands in detail. He mentioned that certain issues involve complex financial implications and may require at least four weeks for proper review and resolution. He assured that the concerns would be addressed in a phased manner.

At the same time, he expressed concern that some unions might be misguiding employees by pushing for immediate strike action without considering ongoing efforts by the government.

With no immediate resolution in sight, the strike is likely to continue impacting public transportation across Telangana in the coming days.