Himachal Road Transport Corporation services likely to be disrupted

Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) services are likely to be disrupted over the next few days.

Talks between the protesting Drivers and Conductors Union and HRTC vice-chairman Ajay Verma failed to persuade the union to withdraw their proposed protest, scheduled to begin on Thursday.

“We will give the notice to the management tomorrow. We can announce a 24-hour strike or an indefinite strike depending on what we all decide,” said Maan Singh Thakur, president of the Drivers and Conductors Union.

The union has been threatening to stop HRTC services over pending overtime dues owed to drivers and conductors.

“The Chief Minister announced a few months ago that Rs 59 crore would be allocated to clear our pending dues. This assurance has not been fulfilled,” said Thakur. “In today’s meeting, the vice-chairman said the government has released Rs 5 crore, but we will not accept anything less than Rs 59 crore,” said Thakur.

The chief further said that the vice-chairman agreed to consider the union’s minor demands but expressed his inability to pay the promised Rs 59 crore.   

“The management should stop booking long routes. Any losses arising from our proposed strike will not be our responsibility,” he said. Thakur added that over Rs 100 crore is pending with the government as overtime dues for the past 65 months.