A rally was taken out by RTC employees under the aegis of APSRTC National Mazdoor Union (NMU) on Tuesday to protest against violation of Motor Vehicles Rules by private transport operators, which was putting the lives of passengers in jeopardy.
The employees carrying banners and placards raised slogans against the illicit operations by private bus operators. The rally, which commenced at the RTC Complex, passed through Dabagardens and Jagadamba Junction before culminating at the Collectorate where a memorandum was handed over to the Collector seeking a halt to the illegal operations by private bus operators.
Addressing the participants of the rally, zonal secretary of NMU Vizianagaram zone P.V.V. Mohan said it was unfortunate that action was not being initiated against the private operators though they were operating as ‘stage carriage’ and picking up passengers en route while they were having only ‘contract permit’ to pick up and drop passengers from point to point. He alleged that the private transporters were causing an annual loss of Rs.1,000 crore to the RTC. He demanded action against those violating the rules.
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NMU district secretary Y. Srinivasa Rao said there was a rule that private operators should not stop their buses within a 3- km radius in the city. The private vehicles were being operated from right opposite the RTC Complex. They were also having charts showing the places en route and the fares. NMU State secretaries Nanda Gopal and V.G. Williams and zonal chairman SSD Prasad were among those who attended. Earlier, the participants of the rally condoled the death of the private bus accident victims in Maharashtra and expressed their sympathies to the bereaved family members.