Kochi: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, the biggest loss-making public sector undertaking in the last fiscal, has failed to implement key reforms like bio-metric punching system due to opposition from trade unions. The corporation had introduced the measure, aimed at ensuring staff punctuality and avoiding cancellation of services due to non-availability of crew, in its headquarters and other offices in November 2014 and 2015 respectively. However, it was never able to enforce the system except in the headquarters.
“We could not implement the measure as the trade unions are continuously opposing it on one ground or another,” said KSRTC managing director Antony Chacko.
Under the system, the bus crew have to be present half an hour before the service starts. A maximum grace period of 15 minutes will be allotted to them and thereafter penal action, including pay cut, will be initiated. The employees can log out only half an hour after the trip is completed.
The corporation had signed a pact with KELTRON and installed machines. A five-day testing was done at select units and the details of staff at various units were taken for allocating Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) cards with photo.
When contacted, the unions, however, sought to pass the buck back to the management. “They are yet to call a meeting with us on the matter,” said K. K. Diwakaran, working president, Kerala State Road Transport Employees Association. As per a CAG report, the KSRTC incurred a loss of Rs 508.22 crore in the last fiscal.
