Mumbai: Bus operations in all 250 depots of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (msrtcThe employees remained closed on Wednesday due to the strike of the employees demanding the merger of the loss-making corporation with the state government.
Hundreds of MSRTC employees from across the state gathered in Mumbai in the afternoon and held a rally at Azad Maidan demanding their demands as chief minister as well. Uddhav Thackeray He appealed to them not to take the poor people hostage while continuing their protest and cooperate in the efforts of the government to solve their problems.
Thackeray also hit out at the opposition parties for “instigating” MSRTC employees for their political gains and said this is not the time to play politics.
“Today all 250 depots across the state are closed. Yesterday, at least three depots were operational, but they are also closed,” an MSRTC official said.
A section of MSRTC employees were not coming on duty since October 28, demanding the merger of the cash-strapped corporation with the state government. After this he intensified his movement Diwali The festival concluded last week.
The Bombay High Court on Monday expressed displeasure over the protests and the state government appealed to the employees to resume their duties, but they refused to budge.
Lakhs of commuters were facing problems as MSRTC buses were not off the roads.
According to Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials, the Maharashtra government has allowed private buses and goods vehicles to carry passengers, but they are insufficient.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab, who is also the chairman of MSRTC, has called a meeting later in the day with the working committee of the corporation’s trade unions on the issue of their strike.
MSRTC is one of the largest state transport corporations in the country with a fleet of over 16,000 buses and around 93,000 employees including drivers and conductors. Before the outbreak of coronavirus last year, the corporation used to ferry over 65 lakh passengers daily.
Hundreds of MSRTC employees from across the state arrived here on Wednesday afternoon and held a rally at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.
Leader of Opposition in State Legislative Council Pravin Darekar, BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar, Sadabhu Khot, former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya And other leaders were present in the rally.
Addressing the protesters at the rally, Darekar said that they do not believe in verbal assurances, so the agitation will continue till Minister Parab gives written assurance on the issue of MSRTC merger.
Speaking to PTI, Khot claimed that the police stopped nine vehicles of women MSRTC employees at various places in neighboring Navi Mumbai when they were trying to reach the state capital.
In the wake of the agitation, the city police had tightened the security at Azad Maidan and the state secretariat ‘Mantralaya’.
From. m Thackeray A statement said, “For the past few days, the government has taken steps to address the issues. Even the High Court is satisfied with the steps taken by the government to address the issues of MSRTC employees.
He said, ‘In such circumstances, I appeal to you with folded hands not to take the poor people of the state hostage. Thackeray said the state has been battling the coronavirus pandemic for almost two years.
“So please cooperate with the state government,” he said
The MSRTC on Tuesday suspended 376 employees of 45 depots in the state for allegedly participating in and abetting the strike.
The move to suspend the employees came after the High Court condemned their “stubborn stand” of not withdrawing their agitation despite the government’s full cooperation and setting up of a panel to meet their merger demand.
Parab had said on Wednesday that a contempt petition was being filed regarding the ongoing strike.
“From our side, we have done everything that had to be done,” he said, adding that a decision on the demand for merger of MSRTC would be taken by a committee constituted on the directions of the HC.
While appealing to the unions to call off the strike, Parab had said that there is a huge financial burden on MSRTC.
“The situation has worsened in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cumulative loss at present is Rs 12,000 crore,” he said.
He said that the decision of merger cannot be taken in a day.
Hundreds of MSRTC employees from across the state gathered in Mumbai in the afternoon and held a rally at Azad Maidan demanding their demands as chief minister as well. Uddhav Thackeray He appealed to them not to take the poor people hostage while continuing their protest and cooperate in the efforts of the government to solve their problems.
Thackeray also hit out at the opposition parties for “instigating” MSRTC employees for their political gains and said this is not the time to play politics.
“Today all 250 depots across the state are closed. Yesterday, at least three depots were operational, but they are also closed,” an MSRTC official said.
A section of MSRTC employees were not coming on duty since October 28, demanding the merger of the cash-strapped corporation with the state government. After this he intensified his movement Diwali The festival concluded last week.
The Bombay High Court on Monday expressed displeasure over the protests and the state government appealed to the employees to resume their duties, but they refused to budge.
Lakhs of commuters were facing problems as MSRTC buses were not off the roads.
According to Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials, the Maharashtra government has allowed private buses and goods vehicles to carry passengers, but they are insufficient.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab, who is also the chairman of MSRTC, has called a meeting later in the day with the working committee of the corporation’s trade unions on the issue of their strike.
MSRTC is one of the largest state transport corporations in the country with a fleet of over 16,000 buses and around 93,000 employees including drivers and conductors. Before the outbreak of coronavirus last year, the corporation used to ferry over 65 lakh passengers daily.
Hundreds of MSRTC employees from across the state arrived here on Wednesday afternoon and held a rally at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.
Leader of Opposition in State Legislative Council Pravin Darekar, BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar, Sadabhu Khot, former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya And other leaders were present in the rally.
Addressing the protesters at the rally, Darekar said that they do not believe in verbal assurances, so the agitation will continue till Minister Parab gives written assurance on the issue of MSRTC merger.
Speaking to PTI, Khot claimed that the police stopped nine vehicles of women MSRTC employees at various places in neighboring Navi Mumbai when they were trying to reach the state capital.
In the wake of the agitation, the city police had tightened the security at Azad Maidan and the state secretariat ‘Mantralaya’.
From. m Thackeray A statement said, “For the past few days, the government has taken steps to address the issues. Even the High Court is satisfied with the steps taken by the government to address the issues of MSRTC employees.
He said, ‘In such circumstances, I appeal to you with folded hands not to take the poor people of the state hostage. Thackeray said the state has been battling the coronavirus pandemic for almost two years.
“So please cooperate with the state government,” he said
The MSRTC on Tuesday suspended 376 employees of 45 depots in the state for allegedly participating in and abetting the strike.
The move to suspend the employees came after the High Court condemned their “stubborn stand” of not withdrawing their agitation despite the government’s full cooperation and setting up of a panel to meet their merger demand.
Parab had said on Wednesday that a contempt petition was being filed regarding the ongoing strike.
“From our side, we have done everything that had to be done,” he said, adding that a decision on the demand for merger of MSRTC would be taken by a committee constituted on the directions of the HC.
While appealing to the unions to call off the strike, Parab had said that there is a huge financial burden on MSRTC.
“The situation has worsened in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cumulative loss at present is Rs 12,000 crore,” he said.
He said that the decision of merger cannot be taken in a day.
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