Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has declared Dies Non in response to trade unions calling for an all-India strike on Wednesday.

Dies Non entails that employees who fail to report will have to forfeit a day’s salary. It has also been directed that all services must operate as per the usual schedule.

Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar had earlier stated that KSRTC services would be available on Wednesday. However, this was not accepted by the unions. Following this, the directive was issued by management. 

Earlier, Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener T.P. Ramakrishnan also dismissed the Transport Minister’s announcement, saying that Ganesh Kumar had no authority to declare that workers would not take part in the national strike. Ramakrishnan asserted that KSRTC operations would come to a halt on the strike day.

He added that private bus services would also remain suspended and urged the public to avoid using personal vehicles in support of the protest.

Ganesh Kumar maintained that KSRTC employees were content, citing they receive their salaries before the first of every month, and therefore saw no reason for them to join the strike. He reiterated that KSRTC services would function without disruption.