Irate KSRTC employees leave traffic stranded

KOTTAYAM: A flash stir by the KSRTC drivers paralysed traffic in the city for over half an hour on Saturday, after they abandoned their vehicles on the TB Road to join other KSRTC employees in demanding a ban on the mediapersons entering the Transport Bus Stand. The ruckus erupted after a lady TV anchor’s outfit was stained with grease while she was travelling on a KSRTC bus, and she sought compensation from the District Transport Officer (DTO).The DTO reportedly paid the complainant enough amount for getting the dress dry cleaned.However, things took an ugly turn when some more scribes joined in to get further inputs about the story.They tried to get into the office of the DTO where the security guard at the entrance allegedly pushed them away.As the news spread, KSRTC employees gathered at the bus stand and disrupted bus operations.The union leaders launched verbal volleys at the scribes, who were returning from the office of the DTO and the argument intensified.A police team rushed to the spot and struggled to convince the agitated employees to remove the stranded buses from the road.The aggressive stance of the protestors abated only after the arrival of the Riot Police.The agitators shouted slogans against the press and said that they would not allow scribes to enter the Transport Bus Stand.Several leaders of the CPM and the Congress also reached the spot to hold discussions with the workers and end the imbroglio.After the deliberations, the drivers agreed to remove the buses from the road, thereby paving way for other stranded vehicles to pas s of f smoothly.The Kottayam Press Club has lodged a complaint with the DTO about the incident.Vehicles remained stranded for over 30 minutes on T B Road