HRTC drivers threaten stir day before PM Modi's Shimla visit

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 19

The HRTC fleet comprising around 4,000 buses can go off the road a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Shimla on May 31. “We will go on a strike for 24 hours from May 29 midnight to May 30 midnight,” said HRTC Bus Driver’s Union president Maan Singh Thakur.

May 29 deadline

If the government doesn't call us for talks before May 29, we will go ahead with the strike. And in case the govt continues to ignore us even after a day's strike, we will not hesitate to take harsher measures — Maan Singh, Driver Union Chief

“We are fed up with government’s indifference to our genuine demands. We are suffering both mentally and financially and have reached a do-or-die stage,” said Thakur. “If the government doesn’t call us for talk before May 29, we will go ahead with the strike. And in case the government continues to ignore us even after a day’ strike, we will not hesitate to take harsher measures,” said Thakur.

HRTC employees have been struggling for the implementation of the recommendation of the 6th Pay Commission and the release of their pending dues. “Every department and corporation has received new pay scale, except us. Also, we have not been paid night overtime for the last three years and DA arrears for many years,” said Thakur. “It’s plain injustice with transport employees and we will not accept it any longer,” he added.

Apart from causing inconvenience to general public, the strike can affect the PM’s rally as people from far-flung areas, who were to attend the rally, may find it difficult to reach Shimla. BJP president Suresh Kashyap has said that they plan to have a gathering of at least 50,000 people for the rally.

The Bus Driver Union, however, asserted that their call for strike had nothing do with PM’s visit. “We have been agitating for our demands since long and the call for strike has nothing do with the PM’s visit,” said he.

Incidentally, the private bus operators had also used the Prime Minister’s visit to Mandi in December last year to bring the state government to the discussion table. When they threatened to not provide any bus for the Mandi function, the government yielded and accepted their demands.

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