Bengaluru Chalo: Transport Workers Announce Protest Program On January 29 Over Pay Dues
After repeated talks with the state government failed to yield any outcome, the Joint Action Committee of KSRTC workers’ unions planned the Bengaluru Chalo.
Published : January 18, 2026 at 1:18 PM IST
Bengaluru: Employees of four state-run transport corporations, including Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), have announced a ‘Bengaluru Chalo’ protest on January 29. They accused the state government of failing to address long-pending demands related to wages and salary revision.
The decision was taken by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of KSRTC workers’ unions after repeated talks with the government yielded no outcome.
Pending demands
According to the unions, transport workers have not received arrears for the last 38 months. In addition, a wage revision that was due on January 1, 2024, is yet to be implemented.
Union leaders say the delay has added to financial stress among employees who ensure daily public transport services across the state.
“The wage revision should have been implemented from January 2024, but even after several rounds of discussions, there has been no concrete decision,” JAC member Jayadevaraj Urs told ETV Bharat.
He added that the protest was decided after exhausting all possible channels of dialogue with the government.
Protest and possible impact
The protest is scheduled to be held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru from 10 am to 4 pm on January 29. The unions have said the demonstration will be peaceful. Committee members H V Anantasubba Rao, B Jayadeva Arasu, H D Revappa, V Somanna, Jagadish H R and Rajendra Gowda G K have jointly called upon transport workers to participate in large numbers.
They said the ‘Bengaluru Chalo’ protest is meant to draw the government’s attention to issues that have remained unresolved for years.
While the unions have not officially announced a strike, they warned that continued neglect of their demands could affect transport services. Union leaders pointed out that even a one-day disruption could impact daily commuters across Karnataka.
“It remains to be seen how the transport department and the government will respond to our demands,” a union representative said. Past protests, they noted, have often been met with warnings and legal notices, but workers say they are left with little choice as arrears continue to mount.
The coming days are expected to be crucial as commuters and the transport department await clarity on the situation ahead of January 29.
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