Bengaluru: To counter the effects of an indefinite truckers’ strike, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has decided to carry goods to maintain a smooth supply of essentials across the state.
The KSRTC, which operates around 800 buses every day, is joining hands with the Road Transport Department to transport goods. The Regional Transport Office (RT) has formed a Special Task Force in all districts to track the delivery of goods and to document complaints received from areas where the strike has had some effect.
“During the truck strike, KSRTC will be in touch with APMC yards, Karnataka Milk Federation, Hopcoms and other departments to understand the requirement. We have instructed all our district officers to ensure that buses help farmers to transport their produce. We have also instructed them to remove the last two seats to increase the transport capacity. This is to ensure that essential commodities reached every district. We have also informed our depot officials to make use of the trucks in the depots. Charges will be the same as the luggage cost,” a senior KSRTC official said.
KSRTC will act immediately if needed, but will not carry more than six tonnes of goods in their buses. Gramanthara Sarige (rural transport) buses, which travel to hinterlands, are being used by filling up goods in the last three rows without affecting the passenger capacity.
Truckers from across the country went on an indefinite strike last Friday. But the strike has received a mixed response in the state as it is not being supported by the All-India Conference of Goods Operators’ Association, headed by B. Chenna Reddy. But in other states, the strike is intensifying as other associations have started joining it.
