Kolhapur: Hundreds of passengers were left stranded on Central Bus Stand (CBS) on Friday as the workers of the state transport (ST) initiated an indefinite strike from Thursday midnight.The passengers travelling to nearby places in the district were inconvenienced as the buses plying to the nearby villages and towns remained parked in the stand.However, all Shivshahi buses travelling long distances such as Mumbai, Pune and Belgaum were available. Passengers were seen making beeline queues to get a seat in these buses.However, many passengers had to avail private transport to travel to nearby towns and villages. Most passengers were families who were returning to their towns and villages as the summer vacations are nearing end.Workers of the state transport claim the increment given to them by the ministry of the state transport is very nominal. The state transport corporation had approved Rs 4,500 crore towards the salary of the ST workers and the salary revision came into effect from June 1.A senior official of the state transport of Kolhapur division said on the condition of anonymity, “Not all unions are participating in the strike. Some unions which have less staff refrained from joining the strike and it is with their help we ran the Shivshahi buses. We have conveyed the inconvenience caused to the passengers to the state authorities who are talking with the union leaders.”Officials of Road Transport Office visited the CBS and took stock of the situation. RTO officials invited private operators to carry the stranded passengers. By then, it was already late afternoon. Most passengers had left the bus stand, some stayed back at their relative’s place while some availed private transport and railway.Security personnel and policemen were deployed at CBS as well as Sambhajinagar Bus Stand.According to officials, the list of the workers and other staff who declined to resume the bus services have been submitted to the state transport authority and action would be taken against them. Officials claimed the strike was called suddenly and they did not have any inkling.Few workers—drivers, conductors and technical staff—who turned out at CBS claimed that the transport system was not running properly under minister Diwakar Raote.

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