APSRTC Unions Mobilize Against Private Electric Bus Operations

State-Wide Signature Campaign Culminates in Direct Action

Andhra Pradesh Public Transport Department (APSRTC) workers will formally present grievances to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on July 27. Following a week-long signature drive that began on July 20, thousands of employees from various departments have signed a collective memorandum. These documents will be submitted through District Collectors across the state to voice opposition to the current privatization trajectory of the transit fleet.

Demands for Internal Fleet Ownership

The Joint Action Committee (JAC), led by conveners Y. Srinivasa Rao and P. Damodara Rao, has issued a clear ultimatum regarding the state's green energy initiatives. The group insists the government must scrap its current model of utilizing private contractors for electric bus operations. Their core demands include:

• Direct Procurement: The state-owned corporation should purchase electric buses outright.
• Internal Management: Existing APSRTC staff must operate and maintain all new battery-powered vehicles.
• Workforce Expansion: The government must fill existing vacancies to maintain service standards.
• Fleet Renewal: Instead of outsourcing, the focus should remain on acquiring new buses to modernize the public fleet.

Strategic Review Scheduled for July 30

Union leadership argues that the push for private operators actively weakens the public sector undertaking. They maintain that the massive response to the signature campaign demonstrates a unified front against any policy resembling privatization. After the July 27 delivery of memorandums, the JAC State Committee will convene in Vijayawada on July 30. During this session, labor leaders will evaluate the government's response and determine their subsequent strategy for continued industrial action.

Source: The Hindu — Home