APSRTC Unions Unite to Oppose Mall Construction on RTC Land

Quick Summary

• APSRTC Employees Union staged a protest at Governorpet Depots-1 and 2 in vijayawada on Friday.
• The protest was against the government’s decision to hand over 4.15 acres, which included the depots, Old Bus Stand, and municipal park land, to UAE-based Lulu Group International for constructing a shopping mall.
• Y. Srinivasa Rao,Vijayawada zone secretary of the union,said that RTC acquired the land in 1959 at ₹16 per square yard for ₹4.06 lakh.
• The transfer of this public asset to a private company was criticized as “condemnable.”
• Rao urged all unions-including National Mazdoor unity Association (NMUA) and Staff and Workers Federation (SWF)-to unite under a Joint Action Committee to collectively oppose G.O. No. 137 approving this transfer.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The protest highlights vital concerns regarding public resource management and privatization decisions by governments involving historically significant state-owned assets like APSRTC properties. workers argue that land originally purchased for public use is now being repurposed for private enterprise with unclear benefits to local residents or stakeholders directly impacted by the decision.

This development raises broader questions on balancing immediate economic incentives such as foreign investment versus preserving essential public infrastructure owned by organizations like RTC that many rely upon for transport services in Andhra Pradesh.If further unified action unfolds among different employees’ unions under proposed Joint Action Committees, it could signal growing resistance toward privatisation policies affecting common utilities-perhaps shaping future discourse around government accountability concerning asset management protocols across states.

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