Thiruvananthapuram: The demand for permanent appointment of hundreds of personnel has been a hot potato for the management of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). Legal wrangles over such staff, called empanelled employees, had finally led to the termination over 2,000 drivers last year. The public transporter, which has been in the red for a long while, has now sought legal opinion to give permanent employment to 1,700 temporary personnel who have been working for it for over 10 years.

KSRTC would be confirming the employment of mostly temporary conductors and drivers on its payroll. Meanwhile, empanelled employees who are yet to complete 10 years of service would be brought under Swift, a new company to be launched by KSRTC to operate its express, Volvo, JNNURM and deluxe bus services.

The 1,700 temporary employees who could benefit from the latest move had joined the Corporation after they were shortlisted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and employment exchanges.

More reforms on the anvil

At the same time, the KSRTC Board has suggested various measures to redeploy staff. For instance, pension vacancies will not be filled for the next four years, which is expected to lead to reduction of as many as 4,081 posts.

Another likely reform is to offer voluntary retirement option for 2,000 employees. A loan of Rs 200 crore from the state government is necessary to implement this option.

The Board also proposes to maintain the main workshops of the Corporation only at district headquarters. The excess staff at these workshops should be trained to work as conductors and drivers by re-fixing their salaries. As a result, clerical staff would be stationed only at main depots.

According to the Board, such redeployment will reduce the staff strength of the KSRTC from the present 29,000 to 22,000 in four years and help the public carrier to survive.