VIJAYAWADA: Owing to the financial crisis arising due to COVID-19, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has removed around 7,600 contract and outsourcing staff on Thursday. Vice-chairperson and managing director M Pratap directed all the 126 bus depot managers in the State directing them to inform the outsourcing staff not to report for duties from Thursday.

It may be noted the APSRTC convened a meeting on Wednesday and decided to remove outsourcing staff from Thursday. On May 15, Pratap had directed the regional managers to oust the outsourced staff but they continued in their jobs on Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah’s intervention. Speaking to TNIE, APSRTC Outsourcing Employees’ Federation State general secretary Noor Mohammed said a majority of the ousted outsourcing staff are data entry operators. At several depots these data entry operators were asked to handover the work details to the regular employees, who will take care of their duties.

When asked about their future course of action, he said the members will submit a representation to Venkataramaiah on Friday. If we don’t get an assurance from the minister, we will stage protests at 128 bus depots across the State, he said.

“Despite orders issued by Principal Secretary (transport) MT Krishna Babu to grant us wages pending since March, there has been no response so far. We appeal to the government to continue the services of outsourcing staff through Andhra Pradesh Corporation for Outsourced Services (APCOS), considering the plight of 7,600 staff,” Mohammad said.