After disagreements between the management and employees of Namma Metro in Bengaluru, about 300 employees took to protest in the early hours of the morning at Baiyappanahalli depot on Friday (11 January).
Gathering there around 1:30 am, the employees raised slogans against the management, demanded revision of salary and put forth their demand that the union must be recognised. This put the day’s metro services in jeopardy until the last minute.
Ajay Seth, Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), met the employees and told them that their demands would be met within a month’s time. This diffused tensions a bit. He took questions for about 90 minutes and addressed every question that came his way.
Times of India has reported that the vice-president of Bangalore Metro Rail Employees Union, Suryanarayana Murthy, said the protests will intensify should the demands not be met.
About two years ago, members of the union had halted Metro services for seven hours after an employee was allegedly mistreated by the police.