SRTC working without policy

KT NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, Nov 24: Since the establishment of ‘Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation’ (JKSRTC) in 1979, no ‘transport policy’ has been framed so far by any successive state government.
The SRTC which came into being in the year of 1979, when Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah was in rule as Chief Minister and G M Shah was the Transport Minister that time, an order was issued by the than Commissioner Sectary Sushma Choudhary with the reference of ‘All India Road Transport Corporation Act 1950’ for the formation of State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) which came into being, for the first time.
While giving detail about its objectives, chairman of Jammu and Kashmir SRTC Workers Union’ Shakil Ahmed Kuche, said that the Corporation was framed ‘not for profit but to provide basic facilities to the general public’ adding that the notion has also been followed by most of the states of India till now.
Kuche further said that, out of these Corporations, 19 Corporations are running in loss including JKSRTC. He, however, said that JKSRTC falls at the lowest rank, ‘means less loss being suffered by the SRTC as compared to 19 other states fallowing under this category’.
Shakil alleged that even than their respective governments have decided or frequently threatening to close the Corporation as they are not profitable, adding that these Corporation are burden to state. Sources again maintained that prior to militancy in 1988-89 there was a fleet of nearly 1603 vehicles under SRTC out of which 1,115 buses and 488 trucks, whereas the strength of staff was 6,650 employees.
Insiders informed that during the last twenty years of militancy related incidents around 200 vehicles have been destroyed in different incidents of violence. He, however, claimed that in the year of 2007-08, at present there are only 1,113 vehicles, out of which 677 are buses and 436 are trucks, adding that merely 400-450 vehicles are roadworthy whereas rest are in workshops.
Sources further stated that till date there are 4,485 employees working in SRTC, out of which around 300 employees were expelled from services by the department under ‘Gold Hand Shake Scheme’, under this scheme a net amount of Rs 2 lakhs is given to the out going employees.
Sources again maintained that after every ten year old vehicles are to be auctioned but insiders claim that till date old vehicles are laying in the workshops since years.
Surprisingly, even after seeking grants in crores from the central and state governments, which are being utilized in some other projects of different departments, Corporation remained in loss and even than it is able to release salaries of the employees on time.
Sources claimed that according to the preamble of All India Road Transport Corporation Act 1950 state governments has to provide 67 percent, ‘Plan Fund and Grant-in-Aid’, besides, central government has also to provide 33 percent, same aid to the Corporation.
Insiders said that since last many years new vehicles have not been purchased by the Corporation adding alleged that eighty percent vehicles of SRTC are such that needs to be auctioned. Sources again alleged that concerned ministers and administrators have their own view point which is quite opposite to the workers and requirement.
Sources maintained that earlier, National Highway from Srinagar, Jammu and Leh was dominated by the SRTC buses and no other private vehicles were allowed to run, which according to insiders was the ‘source of revenue for the Corporations’.
They again maintained that the source of revenue is last now as private vehicles have been given permits on the nationalized route of Jammu-Srinagar-Leh, which has ended the monopoly of SRTC’.
Source further claimed that now-a-days 2-4 buses are running on the national highway. Source further alleged that ‘we are being used for August 15, and elections duties adding for this ‘we are government employees’ and added that vehicles are not properly cared and managed to many routes there is need to run buses for the benefit of public.
Sitting an example, he maintained that before durbar move to its winter capital, buses and trucks of SRTC were rushed empty from Jammu towards Srinagar secretariats, and there they stayed for four days and returned after five days.

Syed Amjad Shah