MSRTC employees rap Minister's decision to grant permits to maxicabs

MSRTC employees rap Minister's decision to grant permits to maxicabs
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NAGPUR JULY 9: The announcement, made by Maharashtra Transport Minister Shivajirao Moghe to grant permits to maxicabs, has evoked a sharp protest from Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees.

The decision to permit maxicabs has sounded the death-knell for the MSRTC, said Madhukar Choudhari, a veteran leader and general secretary of Motor Kamgar Union, representing a section of the MSRTC workers. In a separate release, Ashok Gomase of ST Kamgar Rashtrawadi Congress Union also strongly opposed the decision and warned that a statewide agitation would be launched soon if the decision was not revoked.

Choudhari contested the state government's claim that granting permits to maxicabs would provide self-employment opportunities to unemployed youths. The government claim was not based on facts, he said and pointed out that as many as seven jobs are created with the addition of a new bus by the MSRTC while not more than three persons get jobs if a new luxury bus is operated by a private agency. In case of maxicabs, the job potential was much less. Considering these facts, the state government should have taken early steps to expand the MSRTC fleet, he added.

Moreover, private agencies operate buses with a profit-motive, while the MSRTC has reinvested its revenue all these years in extending concessions to various sections of the society and providing facilities like bus-stands and pick-up sheds. Private agencies do not provide even drinking-water facilities to passengers, he alleged.

The Union leader noted that in terms of safety and reliability of services, the MSRTC has proved to be the best organisation. On the other hand, often fatal accidents, occurring on highways, involve the recklessly-driven jeeps and buses.

The MSRTC suffered in the last decade mainly because private agencies were given an absolute free-run in operating their buses in utter violation of the Contract Carriage Act by successive state governments. The governments' inaction had encouraged them to compete with the MSRTC by picking up passengers right in front of ST stands, he said.

He blamed the former Shiv Sena-BJP government for opting to ignore the MSRTC to its great detriment. The alliance government did not allow the MSRTC to purchase new buses in four years, he alleged.

When the Democratic Front took over, the MSRTC employees expected a better deal from the state government. The DF leaders were also prompt in giving assurances. But contrary to expectation, the state government has now decided to liberally grant permits to maxicabs operators. The decision would adversely affect the MSRTC, which is one of the biggest employers having over 1.10 lakh work-force, he said.

In a separate statement, Ashok Gomase demanded stern action against the illegal and clandestine operators and immediate steps to strengthen the MSRTC.

He suggested that the MSRTC should acquire private buses and run them on a commission-basis if it was not possible for the MSRTC to expand its fleet by purchasing new buses. According to his formula, the revenue earned by operating these buses could be shared with the private operators.