Karnataka bus strike disrupts services statewide

An indefinite strike by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Road Transport Corporation (RTC) employees began at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, disrupting bus services across Karnataka. While the impact was severe in most parts of the state, Bengaluru remained largely unaffected.
As of 1 p.m., only 8,071 buses out of 13,785 scheduled departures were operated — an operational rate of 58.5% across Karnataka,according to information. This was despite the Karnataka High Court directing unions to defer the strike by a day. The JAC went ahead with the protest, citing stalled talks with the State government over long-pending demands, including salary revision and clearance of arrears.
In Bengaluru, services operated by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) continued almost normally, with 3,040 of 3,121 morning services running — translating to over 97% operational efficiency. However, in other districts the strike led to stranded commuters and empty depots,according to information.
In Mysuru, nearly 60% of services were hit, heavily affecting intra-city commuters. Belagavi witnessed near-total paralysis as no city, inter-district or inter-state buses of NWKRTC operated in the morning, leaving a large number of passengers — including students — waiting at bus stands.
In Mangaluru, officials reported that around 75% of services were operational, with most long-distance and local buses still running. However, elsewhere, confusion prevailed. At Bengaluru’s Kempegowda (Majestic) Bus Terminal, KSRTC and BMTC services ran but with noticeably fewer passengers, as many had chosen alternative transport expecting widespread disruption.
The JAC proceeded with the protest despite a failed last-minute meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on August 4. Anantha Subba Rao, president of the KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation, said employees had no choice but to strike as the state had not addressed critical issues raised in previous negotiations.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that while some areas experienced disruptions, there were “no major issues” in Bengaluru. He added that necessary alternate arrangements had been activated statewide to minimise inconvenience to the public.According to information,JAC’s demands include a salary revision effective from January 1, 2024, clearance of 38 months of arrears from January 2020 to February 2023, hikes in allowances, better medical facilities, and regularisation of contract-based staff. The unions are also opposed to deploying contract workers on new electric buses, insisting only permanent employees should operate them.
To mitigate commuter hardship, the Transport Department has activated a contingency plan that includes deploying private operators and using school, corporate and other vehicles in affected districts. Officials said a clearer picture of the strike’s impact is expected by the evening of August 5 or the morning of August 6, depending on employee turnout.

(State Correspondent)