The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRTC) swung into action on Tuesday, suspending 376 employees from 16 divisions and 45 depots for defying the Bombay high court’s order and continuing with the strike. The authority’s move came a day after the state government, through a government resolution, formed a three-member committee headed by the chief secretary to look into the issues raised by unions. Bus operations at 247 out of 250 depots of the MSRTC remained suspended on Tuesday.
Transport Minister Anil Parab said a contempt petition was being filed over the ongoing strike of employees of the MSRTC. He made a fresh appeal to the unions to come forward for talks and call off the strike, to avoid further inconveniencing commuters.
“MSRTC is under huge financial burden. In the last two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation has further worsened. Currently, the cumulative loss is Rs 12,000 crore,” he said. He added that the state government has fulfilled all the demands of the unions except the one one salary increment. He had assured that this would be resolved after Diwali.
Parab said that the decision about MSRTC’s merger with the state government could not be taken in one day. “It is not the issue of one corporation. There are several such corporations. The state government will have to take a policy decision. But while taking such a decision, the government has to consider the financial situation of the state, earnings and expenditure of the MSRTC,” he added.
