The AP Public Transport Department (APPTD-APSRTC) Employees’ Union has opposed the State government’s attempts to privatise the public transport corporation under the guise of introducing electric buses.

The union leaders have warned that they will resist such a move and announced a series of protests across the State.

In a statement on Sunday, union State president P. Damodara Rao and State general secretary G.V. Narasayya alleged that the government was trying to hand over valuable RTC assets and operations to private companies in the name of electric bus services.

They said the remarks recently made by APSRTC Chairman Konakalla Narayana Rao had exposed the government’s “real intentions.”

The union leaders questioned the government’s interest in entrusting the operation of electric buses and RTC depots, which involve assets and lands worth thousands of crores, to big business groups. They alleged that some depots had already been leased out and efforts were underway to hand over more depots.

Highlighting RTC’s importance as a public transport institution, they said the corporation provides services to nearly 60 lakh passengers every day. The leaders criticised the government for citing poor financial conditions while allegedly spending heavily on capital development projects without adequately supporting RTC.

Burden of schemes

The union also pointed to the implementation of the cchemes, under which lakhs of women and differently-abled persons travel using subsidised services.

The leaders said while the government was required to reimburse nearly ₹300 crore every month to the RTC under these schemes, it was currently releasing only around ₹160 crore. They argued that full reimbursement would enable RTC to independently purchase electric and CNG buses without relying on private operators.

The union leaders expressed concern over the lack of recruitment in RTC during the past 14 years, and noted that around 10,000 vacancies were not included in the recently-announced job calendar.

As part of their agitation programme, RTC employees recently organised protests at depots across the State. The union leaders said representations would be submitted to District Collectors demanding that electric buses be operated directly by RTC. They also announced a round-table with various employee and trade unions in Vijayawada on May 26 to decide the future course of action.