Bangalore: Public transport is likely to be affected across Karnataka from Thursday, with 1.1.lakh drivers, conductors and mechanics working with various State Road Transport Corporations and the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) scheduled to go on an indefinite strike.

The workers are agitating against the authorities’ decision to unilaterally announce pay hikes for class 3 and 4 employees that include the drivers, conductors and mechanics, and to press 40 other demands, like payment of DA.

About 2,200 night-out BMTC buses have already left their depots and will be available for commuters till Thursday noon. These buses will be available for the public in case the strike call evokes a massive response, official sources said.

However, BMTC operations were severely impacted in the west division on Wednesday, with very few buses plying in Kengeri, Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Bidadi as many drivers and conductors kept off work.

The KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation, the sponsor of the strike, received a boost when four of the other seven unions announced they would join the strike.-Times of India