KSRTC bus strike in Karnataka: Passengers stranded; private operators hike prices

As the employees of Karnataka's government transport provider, KSRTC, went on strike today, the public bus services across the state were affected. Throughout the state, passengers are left in the lurch as very few buses, run by employees who chose not to participate in the strike, are conducting services. Attendance rates in offices, colleges, and schools have also dwindled due to the strike. A few drivers of KSRTC are working to ferry students to educational institutions, according to PTI.  KSRTC has also roped in a handful of trainee drivers to help out in the situation. Private operators are also allowed to ply from government bus stands. 

Reason for the strike
The employee unions are demanding a wage revision, payment of 38 months' arrears, effective from January 1, 2024, among others. The arrears would amount to about Rs 1,700 crore. The talks between them and the government recently failed. The government agreed to pay Rs 718 crore, covering arrears of 14 months only. Meanwhile, the private bus stands in Mangaluru, Mysuru, Tumakuru, Hassan, Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru, Raichur, Chitradurga, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Shivamogga and Madikeri saw heavy rush. The operators of private buses, cabs and autorickshaws have also hiked prices exorbitantly.

Heavy rush in Bengaluru metro
Though many offices issued a work-from-home advisory, the Bengaluru Metro still experienced a heavy rush on the day of the KSRTC strike. The impact was most evident at the Majestic Metro station, according to reports.