Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy speaks to job seekers who staged a protest in Hubballi on Friday. | Photo credit: KIRAN BAKALE
Hundreds of candidates shortlisted for the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) Driver and Driver-cum-Conductor recruitment 2019 staged a protest in Hubballi on Friday to get the recruitment for all the notified posts and called it off later in the day after a specific assurance from Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy.
Earlier, they gathered outside the NWKRTC headquarters on Gokul Road and started their agitation. They resented the government’s decision to reduce the number of previously announced posts.
As per recruitment notification 2019, NWKRTC has invited applications to fill 2,814 driver and driver posts. After the completion of the documentation and proficiency testing process, a provisional list was published. However, the number of jobs was subsequently cut to 1,000, angering jobseekers, resulting in a series of protests over the past few months. Subsequently, the chairman as well as the MD of NWKRTC requested the government for permission to fill the remaining 1814 posts.
On Friday, when Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy was to attend the inauguration of the renovated new central bus station in Hubballi, job seekers gathered outside the central office led by Subhash Singh Jamadar and staged a sit-in.
BJP MLA Mahesh Tenginakai and MLC Pradeep Shettar, Councilor Rajanna Koravi and others joined the protesting candidates.
Before participating in the programme, Mr Reddy and NWKRTC Chairman Bharamagouda (Raju) Kage heard their complaints and promised to look into the matter.
Later, Mr. Reddy called them for a discussion at the NWKRTC headquarters in which Labor Minister and District In-charge Santosh Lad, Mr. Tenginakai, NWKRTC MD Priyanga M. and Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar were also present.
Mr. Jamadar told reporters that during the meeting, Mr. Reddy had promised them that 1,000 posts would be filled by December 8 and the remaining 814 posts would be filled after discussing the matter with the chief minister and getting approval from the finance department.
He also said that Mr. Lad also promised to take up the issue before the Chief Minister in the next cabinet meeting. After the assurance, it was decided to call off the agitation for the time being, he said.
Published – 07 Nov 2025 20:32 IST
