AITUC protests alleged plan to privatise key APSRTC depots

 Tirupati: Trade union activists on Wednesday held a protest in Tirupati, voicing strong opposition to the State government’s reported plan to privatise several major RTC depots. The agitation took place at Mangalam bus depot, where workers and union leaders accused the government of attempting to hand over public transport assets to private players.

The demonstration was led by All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) city unit in Tirupati after orders were issued asking buses operating from certain depots to be relocated and the premises cleared by February 25. Union members said the move could pave the way for private companies to take control of valuable RTC properties.

Speaking at the protest, district general secretary K Radhakrishna and city general secretary ND Ravi alleged that the government was planning to transfer land belonging to the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) to private firms in the name of introducing electric buses. They claimed the land involved could be worth nearly Rs 6,000 crore and warned that such decisions would weaken the public transport system.

Union leaders also pointed to what they described as earlier instances of RTC land being allotted to private entities and cautioned that continued privatisation would seriously affect the corporation’s future.