- Movement going on for 94 days, the number of buses is negligible
Chandrapur. The employees of the State Transport Corporation have been on strike for the last 94 days to demand merger with the state government. Because of this, the number of buses coming to the bus stand is less. Due to this, those who do their business relying on the passengers coming to the bus stand, have come to starve.
Due to Chandrapur being the district headquarters, the bus stand here used to have long distance buses from places like Nanded, Shegaon, Parbhani, Nanded, Latur, Aurangabad etc. of Maharashtra state. Apart from this, buses used to run for the neighboring Telangana state for places like Hyderabad, Adilabad, Kagaznagar, Mancherial, Dharampuri, Asifabad etc.
Apart from this, there used to come from all the places including Nagpur, Yavatmal, Wardha, Buldhana, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Bhandara of the state. For the convenience of the passengers traveling by these buses, there are many types of fruit vendors near the bus stand, snack shops, Singhanda traders of Bhadravati and Warora, setting up peanut shops and doing their business throughout the day and night. After that they used to close their shops and go away.
But from October 28, the employees of Rapani have started a movement to demand merger with the government. Various tactics were adopted by Rapani to end the movement. But till date the strike is not over. The employees are adamant on their demand. Meanwhile, Rapani has tried on his part and started the bus with the help of some retired and former drivers. But their number is negligible. Because of this, the people who set up shop here have to go hungry.
There are many shops inside the bus stand
Many shops have been given on rent by Rapani inside the bus stand. In which a snack, raswanti, water bottle, panthela are prominent. Apart from this, there are other types of shops with book stall, general store, medical shop. These shops are rented from Rapani. But more than three months have passed and the movement is not taking its name to end. Because of this, problems have arisen on the shopkeepers here.