The indefinite strike by employees of the Puducherry Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) from Tuesday evening demanding immediate payment of salary has hit commuters, especially those in rural areas.
The employees, numbering around 900 (600 permanent staff and 300 contract workers), launched an indefinite strike demanding payment of salaries pending for the last three months.
Not even one of PRTC’s fleet of 139 buses was operated on Wednesday, putting commuters to hardship.
Worst affected
People in rural areas were the worst hit as several villages depend on PRTC for transport.
“I have to cycle almost five km to reach Villupuram main road to take a private bus to reach Puducherry. Such strikes should be held only after making prior announcement.
“Otherwise, people like us, who depend on government buses, will suffer,” said Kumaran, a resident of Nettapakkam.
Commuters to Mahe and Yanam region were affected as the transport utility operates services to the enclaves.
People travelling to Chennai had to depend on Tamil Nadu State Express Transport Corporation buses and private operators.
Support for stir
Confederation of Puducherry Government Employees Association general secretary M.T. Velaiyan said the employees were left with no other option other than to go for an indefinite strike after authorities failed to disburse salary.
Around 900 employees have been working without salary for the last three months. They wanted an assurance on payment of Deepavali bonus, he said.
A senior official in the Transport Department said the government had called the employees for talks on Wednesday evening.
According to officials, the corporation was not in a position to meet day-to-day expenditure and salaries due to drop in collections.
For the entity to run without any financial crunch, the daily collection should be around ₹20 lakh but only around ₹10 lakh for many months now.
Such a huge deficit could only be filled with government support, the officials added.
