HP transport employees on flash strike

The HRTC bus drivers and conductors are agitating for their pending dues, while the transfer of Shimla’s regional manager to Nerwa has irked them further.

Over 3,000 Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses remained off the road on Saturday following a sudden strike call by the staff, which left passengers stranded.

Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) drivers and conductors raise slogans during statewide strike for their demands at old bus stand, Shimla on Saturday. (Deepak Sansta/HT)

The HRTC bus drivers and conductors are agitating for their pending dues, while the transfer of Shimla’s regional manager to Nerwa has irked them further.

HRTC employees’ union president Manoj Sharma said, “The trigger for this strike has been the transfer of our regional manager to Nerwa. We have been demanding night allowance, overtime allowance, dearness allowance of 8% and clearance of arrears for several months now. But instead of fulfilling our demands, the government is trying to humiliate honest officers, following pressure from private bus operators.”

“We will continue this strike till our demands are fulfilled,” he added.

Meanwhile, the strike has heightened fears of Covid infection spread, especially since the hill state is seeing increased tourist activity amid a fading second wave. Passengers say that as HRTC buses are refusing to ply passengers, people are left with no option but to board private buses, which don’t seem to care about maintaining social distancing.