Almost all the drivers, conductors and other employees of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), who were on strike for the last around six months, resumed their duties till Thursday, following appeal made by Adv Anil Parab, Minister for Transport and Chairman of MSRTC recently.
With most of the employees joining their duties, the management has started full operation of ST buses in Nagpur. It is expected that a negligible number of employees would join the duties from tomorrow.
The passengers have heaved a sigh of relief with starting of buses on different routes. The passengers, especially students, were suffering from hardships due to closure of bus services since Diwali festival. The employees were on strike since then to press their main demand of merger of MNSRTC with the government to get them government employees’ status. However, the government had rejected the demand. It had also constituted a committee but it also expressed the view that it was not possible to fulfil the demand of employees.
While making the appeal to employees to join the duties recently, Adv Parab assured them that the management would not take any action against dismissed or suspended striking employees. He had also increased an amount ranging from Rs 2,500/- to Rs 5,000/- to the employees, depending on length of the services.
Reliable sources said that most of the striking employees resumed their duties till date, enabling the management to start bus services on full-fledge basis.
