Hyderabad: Hyderabad District Congress Committee (DCC) President Syed Khalid Saifullah issued an RTC strike appeal urging employees to end the ongoing protest and resume services in public interest.
The Hyderabad District Congress Committee president met striking Telangana State Road Transport Corporation employees at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station on Friday. He called for immediate dialogue, stating that most worker demands had been addressed.
Accompanied by party leaders, he interacted with union representatives and asked employees to return to duty. He said continuing the strike at this stage was unnecessary.
According to him, 29 out of 32 demands were acceptable and could be resolved. He added that a high-level committee had been formed to examine the remaining issues, including RTC merger and union recognition.
RTC strike appeal highlights financial and welfare measures
Khalid Saifullah said salaries were now being paid on the first of every month. He added that pending PRC and DA dues had been cleared.
He stated that legacy liabilities, including 2013 bonds, had been settled. Furthermore, Provident Fund dues were reduced from ₹1,205 crore to around ₹600 crore.
He said CCS liabilities were brought down from ₹690 crore to about ₹300 crore. The government, he added, was paying ₹75 crore every month to clear dues.
On employment, he said 4,538 recruitments were underway. He added that 1,134 compassionate appointments had been given and around 250 dismissed employees reinstated.
He stated that RTC was recovering after years of financial stress. However, he cautioned that continued disruptions could reverse recent gains.
Khalid Saifullah said RTC served nearly 65 lakh passengers daily. He added that the strike was causing hardship to vulnerable groups, including women, students, and workers.
Syed Khalid also criticised the opposition, especially the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, accusing its leaders of fuelling unrest. He alleged that provocative statements were escalating tensions.
Syed Khalid urged political parties to act responsibly during sensitive situations. He added that both employee welfare and public interest must be protected.
Expressing condolences over the RTC driver death of Shankar Goud, he termed it a shock. He assured support to the bereaved family and urged workers to avoid extreme steps.
He reiterated that dialogue remained the only way to resolve pending issues and called on unions to end the strike.