Bengaluru: With employees of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporations (KSRTC) set to begin an indefinite strike from 5 August 2025, the state government has issued an advisory to help reduce disruption to public life.
To ease traffic congestion and minimise inconvenience, authorities have requested private IT companies, particularly those based in Bengaluru, to allow staff to work from home during the strike period.
The advisory comes as the state prepares for possible disruptions in public transport due to the strike. In a letter dated 2 August 2025, Dr N.V. Prasad, Principal Secretary of the Transport Department, asked the Department of Information Technology to communicate this request to all concerned companies.
The move is aimed at easing the burden on roads and public transport services, which are likely to be affected once the strike begins. Officials are also taking other precautionary steps to manage the impact of the protest on daily commuters.
The strike has been called by transport employees demanding better working conditions and pay. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and have appealed to the public for cooperation.
Why Are Workers Striking?
The Joint Action Committee of Transport Unions is unhappy because two of their key demands have not been met:
- Payment of 38 months’ pending salary arrears (totaling ₹1,785 crore).
- A 25% pay hike starting from January 1, 2024.
The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tried to offer a partial solution-₹718 crore covering only 14 months of arrears-but the unions rejected it. They also feel that a 25% hike is fair until 2027, according to a report by Deccan Herald.
What’s Happening?
Despite a Karnataka High Court order telling them not to, transport employees across the state (mainly those working under KSRTC and other state-run corporations) have decided to go on strike from 6 AM on August 5, 2025. This will likely affect bus services across the state, including in cities like Bengaluru.
What Did the Government Say?
The CM said the full demand is unreasonable, especially since the state transport corporations already have ₹4,000 crore in debt.
They recently gave a 15% salary hike from March 2023.