Nellore, July 9: Tension prevailed at the RTC Bus Stand in Nellore as leaders of workers' unions and public organizations formed a human chain on Tuesday, protesting the reported move to privatize the RTC 2nd Depot in the city.
The protest was organized by employees' unions and various public organizations, who accused the government of attempting to hand over the strategically located depot land to private interests under the guise of introducing electric buses.
Addressing the gathering, Srinivasa Rao alleged that the coalition government led by Telugu Desam Party was planning to shut down the RTC 2nd Depot situated in the heart of Nellore city and transfer its nearly five acres of prime land, reportedly worth around ₹300 crore, to a private operator.
He claimed that nearly 500 employees working at the depot were being shifted to different depots, while buses serving surrounding villages were also being diverted elsewhere. According to him, the move would reduce bus availability for the public and adversely affect welfare measures such as free travel for women and persons with disabilities, along with concessions currently enjoyed by students and senior citizens.
Srinivasa Rao argued that the depot, built and sustained through the efforts of RTC employees over several decades, should remain under government ownership and operation. He maintained that RTC possesses the capability to operate electric buses independently and urged the government to allocate electric buses directly to RTC rather than private operators
The protest leaders also demanded protection of valuable RTC lands and warned that privatization would weaken rural transport connectivity across the district. They appealed to ministers and elected representatives from Nellore district to intervene immediately and safeguard the RTC 2nd Depot, cautioning that public opposition would intensify if the proposal moved forward.
Comments
Sign in with Google to comment.