Kerala State Road Transport Corporation single duty postponed
KSRTC has postponed the decision to implement single duty pattern by one week following opposition from employees’ unions. As per the present decision, the single duty pattern will be implemented only after evolving a consensus. A meeting has been convened with employees’ unions on April 6 for the purpose. KSRTC had earlier decided s to implement single duty system across all depots in the state from April 1.
Last year, KSRTC had revised its bus schedules depending on the revenue collection. As a result, single duty, one and half duty and double duty pattern, were introduced. However, later the High Court gave directive to KSRTC management to cha-nge the duty pattern as per the provisions of Motor Transport Workers Act 1961 and Kerala Motor Vehicle Workers Rules 1962. The Act had provisions for a single duty pattern. The staff will have to work for eight hours duty, under this pattern. In the first phase, only ordinary and city fast schedules will be converted into single duty pattern.
Later, other services will also be converted into this pattern. Under the single duty system the crew needs to work for eight hours a day. Upon implementation, most of the long-haul services will have to be rescheduled to adjust duty timings of staff. It may lead to cancellation of many afternoon ordinary services for providing staff with compulsory rest.
Currently, the drivers and the conductors in long distance services take double duties as their working hours in a single schedule will come to 13 to 18 hours.
