Hyderabad: RTC employees’ unions called off their eight-day-old strike on Wednesday afternoon with the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments conceding to their demands.It was a day of one-upmanship between the two governments as both the sub-committees held talks with respective employees’ unions. Anticipating that KCR would announce 43 percent fitment, Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao announced at a press conference that his government had decided to give 43 percent fitment to the striking RTC employees.

Couple of hours later, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao holding the previous governments in the undivided Andhra Pradesh responsible for the losses the RTC was suffering announced that the Telangana government would give 44 percent fitment but at the same time indicated that this would force the management to hike bus fares. Interestingly, the AP government said that they had no plans to hike the the fares despite a burden of Rs 960 crore.

KCR said that all the 4,300 contract employees in the corporation would be regularized from May 14. The Chief Minister said that 50 percent of arrears would be given in three installments -- one for Dasara, second on Ugadi and the third next Dasara. The government would issue bonds which would be payable after five years for the remaining 50 percent arrears.

The RTC is paying Rs 180 crore interest towards the accumulated loss of Rs 1,387 crore while incurring heavy loss of Rs 400 crore,  KCR said, adding that the TRS government would revamp the RTC structure and bring reforms to ensure that the organization gains profits. Declaring that the retired RTC staff will avail free journey facility in ordinary and express buses, he said the GHMC would bear the burden of Rs 200 crore subsidies being given in the twin cities.

Accusing the Centre of failing to share the losses in the RTC as per 67 and 33 ratio, the Chief Minister declared that he would take up the issue at Delhi level. He announced that the government “will take over the RTC if the Centre is ready to disown its 33 percent share.”

On the other hand, the decision to give 43 percent fitment in AP would result in an annual burden of Rs 960 crore on the corporation, but the government has no immediate plans to increase the fare, according to the ministers. The arrears of last two years would amount to Rs 1,200 crore, AP Labour Minsiter K Atchannaidu said. In view of the poor financial situation faced by the residuary state, the employees have agreed to take the arrears with retirement benefits as and when they retire.

The corporation, however, would disburse the new pay-scale arrears for April and May, 2015 in two instalments during Dasara and Deepavali, he said.  Raghava Rao said the RTC had incurred a loss of Rs 100 crore in the last eight days. He appreciated the unions for agreeing for payment of two years' arrears along with retirement benefits.

Eight-day old RTC strike called off

    TS set to hike fares
    All contract staff in TS will be regularized
    AP not to hike bus fares
    TS will strive to make RTC a state unit