MSRTC strike: NCP chief Sharad Pawar steps in

A worker cleans the MSRTC’s Parel bus depot, amid the ongoing strike of the employees, at Prabhadevi on Monday. Pic/Satej Shinde

As MSRTC employees stayed firm on their demands and continued with the strike, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar met state transport minister Anil Parab and officials on Monday to discuss a resolution to end the impasse.

"Mr Pawar sought information from us and discussed the ways and means of ending the staff's strike. We discussed the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation's financials and the demands of the employees. We are exploring options to assure the striking workers as well as commuters, especially students, who have been subjected to travel woes," Parab told the media persons after the meeting.

Parab added that the Bombay High Court is hearing a matter on MSRTC's demand for merging the corporation with the state government. The court has formed a committee to work on the subject of merger. "The committee's recommendations will come through the high court and we will be bound to accept it. We discussed with Mr Pawar the presentation that the government will have to give (when the report comes in)," Parab added.

"I can't reveal any more details, but we are of the opinion that a middle path should be explored for the good of both sides. The strike should end as early as possible because the more it prolongs the more it affects workers and commuters," the minister said. A week ago, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray had requested Pawar to intervene in the matter for a resolution.

Striking staff wants direct talks with govt

Striking employees on Monday distanced themselves from the political leadership and said that the government should talk to them directly. Addressing a press conference, workers said that representatives from all 250 depots were on their way to Mumbai and that the government should talk to them without any mediators.

"Give us a time and place. We will come and talk with the government directly. We will not talk about anything else, but only the merger of the cash-strapped corporation with the state government. So far, nearly 40 employees have lost their lives because of MSRTC, and now, there will be no turning back," an employee said.

On Sunday, several leaders had appealed to all MSRTC employees to reach Mumbai for a mega protest on Tuesday. The crowd of protesting employees at Azad Maidan is expected to grow bigger. Meanwhile, on Monday, of the 92,000 striking employees, 6,943 resumed work.