Bengaluru: Karnataka's public transport system is staring at a major disruption, as employees of all four state-run transport corporations KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC have called for an indefinite strike beginning August 5. Their demands include salary revision, payment of arrears, and other long-standing issues that remain unresolved despite several rounds of talks with the state government.

In light of this looming crisis, the Transport Department has initiated contingency plans to minimize public inconvenience. However, failed attempts to pacify the workers have left officials scrambling for solutions, even as anxiety mounts among commuters who rely heavily on bus services across the state.

In an important development, the Transport Department conducted a high-level meeting with private bus operators. The meeting was attended by Transport and Road Safety Commissioner Yogeesh and Additional Commissioner Mallikarjun, along with senior officials. The department urged private operators to step in and support public movement in case the strike materialises. The goal, officials stated, is to avoid paralyzing urban and rural connectivity. Private bus associations, however, have put forth a set of key demands in return for their cooperation. They have requested a 15-day exemption from road tax during the strike, citing the additional financial burden of operating during a high-demand period. They also insisted on the immediate enforcement of the 60:40 permit-sharing policy, under which 60% of stage carriage permits are allotted to government buses and 40% to private operators.

Further, they have demanded a 50% waiver on penalties levied under Digital Surveillance Audit (DSA) cases and urged the government to initiate action against state-run buses that allegedly violate route and timing restrictions, encroaching into the business zones of private players.

Meanwhile, the Labour Department attempted a second round of reconciliation talks between the transport corporations and the protesting staff, but it failed to yield any breakthrough. With negotiations collapsing, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to hold a crucial meeting on August 4 to discuss the crisis and possibly chart a last-minute resolution.

The government now faces the challenge of balancing employee demands with public interest, as over a million passengers could be affected if the strike goes ahead. Daily commuters, especially in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi, are bracing for heavy inconvenience.

As the countdown to August 5 begins, the state's ability to avoid a full-blown transport paralysis rests heavily on the outcome of Monday's meeting.