Telangana High Court isn’t satisfied with RTC report

Hyderabad: Not satisfied with the report filed by the state government and TSRTC management on the measures taken to mitigate people’s sufferings due to the ongoing RTC strike, the Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the state government and RTC management and also RTC unions to file detailed counter affidavits in the PIL filed against the strike.

The HC also directed the government to ensure that passengers who have bus passes are allowed to travel in vehicles arranged during the strike period.

The Vacation Bench comprising Justice A. Rajashekar Reddy and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy directed the state government to come up with a more detailed report explaining the steps put in place by the government to mitigate the serious issues faced by the general public for the last one week.

Perusing the photographs submitted by the government as evidence that it has made alternative arrangements to serve the public, the Bench observed that the photographs show that all the buses in various depots are confined to the bus depots. When buses are confined to bus depots, how is the general public reaching its destination, the Bench questioned.

Earlier in the hearing, Additional Advocate General J. Ramachan-dra Rao furnished a report filed by the Principal Secretary to the state transport department, which enumerated the number of buses plying on the roads, including hired private buses and cabs.

Desai Prakash Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the RTC Telang-ana Mazdoor Union, submitted that the workers have resorted to a strike because important issues pertaining to employee welfare have been ignored by the state government and management of RTC.

He submitted that the workers have a right to strike under the Indian Constitution and governments  cannot take away the right to dissent. He sought 10 days time to file a counter.