- Operations of Karnataka's bus services remained largely normal during the "Bengaluru Chalo" protest today
- The protest was held from 10 am to 4 pm demanding salary arrears, wage revision, improved service conditions
- Unions seek Rs 1,785 crore arrears for 38 months and a 25% salary hike effective Jan 1, 2024
Operations of state-run bus services remained largely normal on Thursday even as transport union representatives gathered in the city under the banner of the “Bengaluru Chalo” protest, pressing the Karnataka government to fulfil their long-pending demands related to salary arrears, wage revision and service conditions, reported News18 Kannada.
The protest, organised by the Joint Action Committee of transport workers, was underway at Freedom Park from 10 am to 4 pm.
According to News18 Kannada, Union leaders stated they would wait until 4 pm on Thursday for a formal and written assurance from the government regarding full settlement and other key demands. If talks fail, they warned that transport services across the state could be suspended starting Friday.
"There will be no protest or strike tomorrow," the Joint Action Committee leaders announced, adding that a hunger strike will be held from March 2. However, when the decision was announced, workers protesting at Freedom Park in Bengaluru expressed anger against the committee's decision.
Vijay Bhaksar, leader of the Transport Workers Union, speaking to News18 Kannada, said: "We called Bengaluru chalo so that our karyakartas and joint association organisation's karyakartas could participate. With the government neglecting the workers' demand, this protest has become essential, it's also essential to call strike without giving notice.”
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, together, operate thousands of buses connecting cities, towns, and rural regions across Karnataka, and is known as the lifeline of the state.
The Joint Action Committee, representing six transport unions, has been demanding payment of Rs 1,785 crore in arrears covering 38 months from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2023, along with a 25% salary hike effective January 1, 2024.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government, in an order issued on February 18, approved Rs 1,271.92 crore to clear 26 months of pending salary arrears from January 2021 to February 2023.
Of this, Rs 718.93 crore will be released to cover 14 months of dues from January 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023, based on recommendations of a one-member committee headed by retired IAS officer Srinivasa Murthy, while Rs 552.99 crore will be allocated for 12 months covering January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021. The government also indicated that discussions would begin with labour unions regarding percentage-based salary revision proposed to be implemented from April 1, 2025.
The dispute between transport workers and the government has been ongoing for several months. On November 26 last year, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with union representatives and proposed a pay hike from April 1, 2026, while reiterating the offer to clear Rs 718 crore for 14 months of arrears.
Later, on December 13, Minister Ramalinga Reddy convened another meeting and presented fresh proposals on behalf of the transport corporations, but the committee rejected them and reiterated its original demands, stating that the assurances given earlier were not fulfilled.
The unions had initially planned the ‘Bengaluru Chalo' protest for January 29 but postponed it following the death of veteran trade union leader and committee convenor H. V. Ananth Subbarao. Earlier, a similar strike called on August 5, 2025, had disrupted bus services across Karnataka before being withdrawn following directions from the high court.
More than 1.15 lakh employees from the four transport corporations had warned of a statewide shutdown if their demands were not met. Although the government has now sanctioned partial payment covering 26 months of arrears, unions have maintained that partial settlement will not resolve the long-standing grievances of workers.
In addition to arrears and wage revision, employees are demanding parity with government pay scales, resolution of workplace issues, and immediate implementation of revised salaries from January 1, 2024.
Despite the large-scale protest, authorities confirmed that bus services remained largely operational on Thursday.
According to a KSRTC release, at 10:00 am on Thursday, out of a total 12,458 scheduled departures across the four corporations, 11,987 services were operated, reflecting an overall operational rate of 96.22 percent.
With additional services included, total operations stood at 12,650, taking the effective operational level to 101.54%.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.