The services of 4,071 empanelled conductors who have not completed 10 years and 120 days of minimum service in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) were terminated on Monday as directed by the High Court.
Heartbreaking scenes were seen in almost all the 100 units of the KSRTC in the State right from the morning when the unit heads asked the empanelled conductors not to report for duty from Tuesday. Many were inconsolable when the ticket machine and cash purse were returned. The empanelled conductors who had been on duty late Sunday night and had been on stay buses were relieved of their duties as soon as they completed the shift.
Of the 4,071 whose services had been terminated, the highest of 118 was in the Thriuvananthapuram City unit. In Thiruvananthapuram district, over 1,100 empanelled conductors lost their job. The KSRTC management also issued formal orders terminating their services as directed by the High Court.
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Services praised
KSRTC Chairman and Managing Director Tomin J. Thachankary interacted with the empanelled conductors at the Central Works, Pappanamcode, in the morning. The CMD praised their service and explained to them the steps taken to avoid their retrenchment and that the government and the KSRTC were with them at this moment of crisis.
Meanwhile, the KSRTC issued posting orders to 500-odd of the 4,051 advised by the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) as conductors.
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The CMD said the posting orders had been issued by post and they had been asked to report at the earliest. The posting orders would be issued to others in the coming days, he said.