Tirumala electric bus drivers stage protest demanding wage hike

Members of the APSRTC Electric Hire Bus Drivers and Workers’ Union staging a protest at Alipiri in Tirupati on Saturday. | Photo Credit: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar

The APSRTC Electric Hired Bus Drivers and Workers’ Union, affiliated with the CITU, staged a dharna in front of the Alipiri depot in Tirupati on Saturday, demanding an immediate wage hike and an end to alleged harassment by the management.

More than 100 drivers took part in the protest, resulting in around 80 electric buses scheduled to operate between Tirupati and Tirumala remaining off the road.

CITU district honorary president G. Balasubrahmanyam, president S. Jayachandra and general secretary T. Subrahmanyam expressed solidarity with the protesters. They said the drivers played a crucial role in transporting thousands of devotees safely to Tirumala every day but were being paid meagre wages and denied duty assignments.

The CITU leaders alleged that an individual named Shamsher was harassing workers through his high-handed behaviour. Despite 17 rounds of talks and repeated representations to the Labour Department, the management had failed to resolve their grievances, they said. They also condemned the dismissal of 12 workers despite assurances that their issues would be addressed and demanded their immediate reinstatement.

The union also sought monthly payslips, identity cards, uniforms, rest rooms, timely ESI and PF contributions, double wages for double-duty shifts, weekly holidays, and night-out and ghat road allowances.

Published - November 14, 2026 08:41 pm IST