Karnataka Bus Strike: Employees defy HC order as talks fail; thousands stranded across state | Bengaluru News

NEW DELHI: Public transport across Karnataka came to a grinding halt on Tuesday morning as employees of the state’s road transport corporations launched an indefinite strike, leaving thousands of commuters stranded. The protest, sparked by long-pending demands for wage revision and salary arrears, continued despite an interim stay issued by the Karnataka high court. Passengers were left scrambling for alternatives, with bus services either suspended or severely limited in cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Shivamogga, and Chikkamagaluru. Visuals from major bus stands show long queues and overcrowded platforms, while in districts like Gadag, not a single NWKRTC bus operated out of the daily fleet of over 500. Private operators and cab aggregators saw a spike in demand, with many passengers alleging overcharging by autorickshaws in Bengaluru and other cities. Commuters also criticized the state government for not addressing the issue sooner, even as disruption intensified. The strike follows the breakdown of negotiations between the Joint Action Committee of trade unions and the government. Employees are demanding clearance of 38 months’ salary arrears and a wage revision effective from January 1, 2024. The government, however, has offered to settle only 14 months of dues, citing a one-man committee’s recommendation. Despite the HC’s interim order on Monday urging unions to defer the strike and avoid disrupting essential public services, the unions proceeded. KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation president H V Anantha Subbarao said, “We are not satisfied. The strike will begin as planned. We want full 38 months’ arrears.” The government has warned of disciplinary action. KSRTC MD Akram Pasha said circulars enforcing a ‘no work, no pay’ policy have already been issued and that transport is an essential service under the Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance Act. BMTC MD R Ramachandran added, “Since BMTC provides essential services, employees are urged to not take part in the strike.” The high court bench expressed concern over the prolonged delay in wage payments and questioned the state on its handling of the issue. Although the government had held two rounds of talks with union leaders, no breakthrough was reached. With over 1.1 crore people relying on Karnataka’s state-run buses daily — including 40 lakh commuters in Bengaluru alone — the impact of the strike was widespread. The government has reportedly prepared contingency measures involving private operators to keep limited services running. The situation remains tense, with uncertainty over how long the strike will last and whether the state will step in with a revised offer or harsher action.