Dismissal of 24 HRTC employees revoked

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 30

Transport Minister GS Bali today said the Board of Directors of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) had decided to revoke the dismissal of 24 employees on humanitarian grounds as they had submitted affidavits saying they were forced to go on a strike on June 14.

At the meeting of the HRTC’s Board of Directors, Bali said they had decided to take back the employees, adding that their conduct would be observed. “Those responsible for the strike will not be treated sympathetically,” he clarified.

He said the HRTC would start the taxi service in Shimla on 14 new routes for the elderly and differently abled. “The preference will be given to the unemployed youth to operate the taxis,” he said.

He said the HRTC had released dearness allowance worth Rs 8.6 crore pending since July 2015 to its employees. “As many as 300 drivers and a few women multipurpose transport workers to facilitate women passengers will be recruited soon,” Bali said. He also announced to launch a website of the Bus Adda Management and Development Authority. As many as 3,635 contractual drivers and conductors were covered under the PM Suraksha and Jeevan Jyoti Yojana and piecemeal workers under the Atal Pension Yojana, he added.

Bali said the board had decided to start private taxis on rural roads, for which operators would have to deposit Rs 25,000 as security.