The APSRTC Employees’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) proposes to launch its second phase of agitation from July 7 in support of its demand that the State government withdraw its plan to hand over valuable depot lands to private operators in the name of operating electric buses.

At a meeting held here on Sunday, JAC conveners Y. Srinivasa Rao and P. Damodara Rao alleged that the government’s move would gradually pave the way for privatisation of the public transport service, and demanded that all electric buses be operated directly by the corporation.

“The second phase of agitation will also seek protection and strengthening of the public transport system and fulfilment of the legitimate demands of the APSRTC (PTD) employees,” they said.

The JAC leaders said representations to this effect would be submitted to the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary, the Transport Minister, the Special Chief Secretary (Transport and R&B), and the Vice-Chairman & Managing Director of APSRTC on June 29 (Monday).

They alleged that four APSRTC depots had already been handed over to the private operators for operation of 1,050 electric buses. In another eight depots, nearly 50% of the land was being allotted to the private operators.

They said the government was reportedly preparing to hand over another 29 depots for operation of an additional 1,450 electric buses, and raised concern that these developments indicated a systematic plan to hand over all APSRTC buses and depots to private companies by 2029.

Action plan

The leaders said that July 7 and 8 would be observed as ‘APSRTC Protection Day’, wherein employees across the State would wear printed badges displaying the JAC’s demands while discharging their duties. From July 9 to 18, a campaign would be run to seek the support from public representatives, and from July 19 to 26, a State-wide signature campaign would be conducted among the employees on a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, highlighting their concerns.

On July 27, memoranda carrying employees’ signatures would be submitted to the Chief Minister through the District Collectors as part of the Grievance Day programme and, on July 30, a State-level meeting of the JAC would be held in Vijayawada to announce the third phase of the agitation.

The JAC leaders appealed to all the employee unions and associations within the APSRTC to extend their support to the movement to prevent privatisation of the corporation.