Hyderabad: Private drivers allege being threatened

Hyderabad: The TSRTC found it difficult to get private drivers and conductors to operate its buses on Tuesday. Private contractors are wary of the wrath of striking employees, who had earlier “appealed” to them and asked them not to report for work.

At Ranigunj, the bus depot was deserted. Around 20 policemen were scattered around the main gate. A handful of young men had lined up outside the depot manager’s office. Most of them had worked as private conductors during the past few days. They had come there to collect their certificates as they did not want to work with TSRTC anymore.

One of them, Nagaraju, explained his reasons: “Yesterday (Monday), I was serving as a conductor in a bus going to Secunderabad when a few (TSRTC) employees got in. They handed me and the driver roses. They said we were undermining their protest and asked us to not work for TSRTC again. They told me ‘today we are telling you politely, tomorrow we won’t be so nice’.”

Nagaraju said some of the friends he had made during the past week had been beaten up at various places.

“I did not sign up for this. I don’t want to keep looking over my shoulder all the time,” he said.

However, he was unable to get his SSC certificate back from the officials. He was told he would get it back after the strike.

Earlier in the day, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar had warned against obstructing buses driven by private drivers. He announced that “specific IPC (Indian Penal Code) cases” would be booked against anyone who assaults drivers or conductors and such cases would be tried in fast track courts.

This was not enough to reassure Harish, a college student who had come to the depot in hope of finding work as a conductor, but decided to return home. “I am a degree graduate and have been unemployed for two years. I need the money, but I am not willing to be beaten up for it,” he said.

In any case, Harish would not have been able to find work as most depots, including Ranigunj, reported a shortage of drivers. An official said, “Most of the drivers have gone back to their regular work with schools and colleges.”

At Jubilee Bus Station, in spite of the heavy police presence there, some private drivers and conductors said they were wary of being assaulted by angry TSRTC employees.

“Here there are policemen, but while we are en route, who will protect us?” asked a driver.