APSRTC talks fail as unions press for cancellation of 1,450 e-bus tenders

Talks between the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) Joint Action Committee (JAC) leaders and the corporation’s management ended in a failure on Friday, with the employees’ unions insisting on the cancellation of tenders awarded to private operators for running 1,450 electric buses.

In a statement issued after the meeting at RTC House, APSRTC Employees’ Unions JAC State conveners Y. Srinivasa Rao and Palisetti Damodara Rao said the committee had reiterated its opposition to the privatisation of public transport services. The meeting with RTC Joint Managing Director Siva Prasad followed a notice served by the JAC on October 15, seeking the cancellation of tenders issued on October 13 for operating the electric buses.

The JAC leaders insisted that the buses be operated by APSRTC staff and that public transport services not be handed over to private operators. However, Mr. Siva Prasad reportedly told them that the tenders had been issued in accordance with a government decision and could not be cancelled. He also said steps would be taken to reopen the closed depots at Vidyadharapuram, Guntur-II, Nellore-II and Mangalam, and tenders would be invited for the work.

The JAC leaders said the protest programmes organised across the State on Thursday and Friday, with employees wearing black badges, had been successful. The representatives also wore black badges at Friday’s meeting to register their protest.

The unions demanded that the government fill around 15,000 vacancies in APSRTC and procure 4,000 diesel buses immediately. They said additional buses were needed to cater to the rise in passenger traffic following the introduction of the State government’s Stree Shakti free bus travel scheme for women.

They also called for strengthening the corporation’s fleet ahead of the upcoming Godavari and Krishna Pushkarams, saying adequate transport facilities would benefit pilgrims and other passengers and enhance the government’s reputation.

The JAC leaders warned that the agitation would be intensified in the coming days to protect employees’ interests and safeguard the public transport system.

JAC co-conveners P.V. Ramana Reddy, G.V. Narasaiah, C.H. Sundaraiah, Katta Subrahmanyam, S.V. Seshagiri Rao, Y.S. Rao, K. Suryaprakasa Rao and D. Malyadri, along with members of the JAC State committee, attended the meeting.