Thiruvananthapuram: The KSRTC terminated the services of 206 empanelled workers in four workshops in the state on Friday as part of austerity measures. They comprise 55 empanelled workers of Mavelikkara, 64 of Aluva, 52 of Edappal and 35 of Kozhikode workshops. Among them are those who have completed 10 years of service and differently- abled persons. The action was based on the report of professor Sushil Khanna of IIM Kolkata who was appointed by the state government to restructure the KSRTC. The committee had recommended reducing the staff strength per bus from the present 7.2 to the national average of 5.2.
The KSRTC has already been finding it difficult to pay the salaries and pensions of their employees. The unions, including those belonging to the Kerala State Road Transport Employees Association (KSRETA) affiliated to the CITU, have come out against the decision. The KSRTC had terminated the services of 264 empanelled staff from the bus body building section of the central workshop at Papanamcode last month. The body building and chassis making were in the final stages and hence there was no need for their further services, the KSRTC said. The Khanna panel report had suggested that body building works should be outsourced to private agencies. The report also recommended that the double duty system in long-haul services should be stopped. It proposed a survey to understand the commuter needs and rework the schedules on the basis of its response. Though Mr Khanna was asked to submit a detailed report by December 2016, he could give only a draft report by the end of February.
