Thiruvananthapuram: As many as 3,861 bus conductors employed on a temporary basis in the state government-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation will lose their jobs beginning on Monday.
The retrenchment follows a recent verdict by the Kerala High Court to remove them.
The dismissal papers are being prepared by the corporation and expected to be handed over to the temporary recruits during this week.
The development is the first step towards dispensing with the services of the temporary conductors — also known in the corporation as “empanelled” conductors — and the appointment of recruits through the Kerala State Public Service Commission (PSC).
The rank holders of tests conducted by the PSC had approached the court for their appointment.
The 3,861 empanelled conductors are those who have not completed 10 years and 120 days of minimum service in the corporation.
The development is expected to play havoc with the KSRTC schedules from Monday, and continue until the new recruits join service.
The corporation made an effort to delay implementation of the court verdict, but those moves were futile.
State transport minister A. K. Saseendran said the verdict demanding removal of the conductors was a “crippling blow” for the corporation, adding that the government would attempt to explain the situation to the court.
The court had earlier declined a plea by the KSRTC to extend by two months the deadline for implementing the court directive to appoint 4,051 conductors recruited by the PSC.
Trade union leaders said the retrenchment of so many conductors at one go would lead to operational chaos for the transport corporation, particularly in the northern districts. The new recruits will need at least a week’s training before they can start full-fledged work.
