Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 4: The fleet of nearly 1200 vehicles of J&K State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) remained off the road as the strike of Corporation workers continued on the second consecutive day today.
The SRTC vehicles operating on all the inter-state and state routes remained off the road on the second day today. The workers of the SRTC are opposing shifting of its headquarters from Maulana Azad Road near TRC, Srinagar to Nowgam, on the outskirts of the city. They alleged that 20 kanal of prime land of the SRTC was forcibly got vacated using police force by Administration despite the fact that case was pending in the State High Court.
Chairman of the J&K SRTC Workers Union, Shakeel Ahmed Kuchey said that as per the RTC Act of 1950, Central Government is 33% partner in the J&K SRTC and the Board of Directors have the full powers. Government can not use force to grab the SRTC property. He claimed that Corporation is earning a revenue of Rs 2 crore per month from this location. Sealing the premises of SRTC on a mere order of DC and bulldozing the building despite court orders is totally illegal. He alleged that drivers and conductors were beaten up and the premises was sealed on August 2. The place where Government wants to shift the SRTC yard near Pantha Chowk, has no facility, no building and no fencing at all. He said this land is being grabbed with the plea to make `Tehzeen Mehal’ there.
The Corporation workers announced the strike on August 2 as the Government intended to shift the old Transport Corporation Yard, Srinagar, near Tourist Reception Centre on M A Road to Nowgam. The Union alleged that Government without any notice or making proper arrangements at the new place, used force to shift the SRTC yard from TRC area.
A large number of SRTC workers including drivers and conductors held protest demonstration near TRC despite rains and lodged their strong protest against forceful eviction of Corporation workers from the fifty year old SRTC headquarters. In Jammu the workers under the leadership of Ashok Mehra president and Param Jit Singh, general secretary assembled at Bikram Chowk office of the SRTC and held massive protest demonstration. They were shouting slogans against the Government. It was followed by day long dharna.
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