With the 24-hour strike called by the All-India Co-ordination Committee of Road Transport Workers Organisations on Tuesday, university exams in Kerala have been postponed and the roads have been free of public transport.
The nationwide strike is against the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017 and is the second such protest against certain provisions in the amendment bill.
Along with public transport, autorickshaws, school buses, goods carriers and cabs have also kept off the road in Kerala. Ahead of the strike, a collective of trade unions of KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) workers began a 24-hour strike from Monday midnight, according to a Manorama report.
The protesting workers have asked for several demands including wage hike and payment of dues in dearness allowance, a cost of living adjustment allowance paid to government and public sector employees in the country. They will also protest to end the anti-employment and anti-people policies of the KSRTC.
The 24-hour-strike in the state is organised by Kerala State Road Transport Employees’ Association (CITU), Transport Democratic Federation (INTUC) and Kerala State Transport Employees Union (AITUC).
Other demands include withdrawal of hike in insurance premium and restricting of price hike in petroleum products.
The Amendment Bill aims to bring in several reforms in public transport including 100% e-governance, checking for bogus licenses, protecting the good samaritans, monitoring vehicle thefts, dealing with traffic violators by slapping heavy fines.
University exams postponed
All exams scheduled for Tuesday in the Kannur, Mahatma Gandhi and Calicut Universities. have been postponed. New dates will be announced later. Kerala University of Health Sciences too has postponed its exams, according to reports.