TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
DABOLIM: While people across the State are entitled to a holiday on Good Friday, KTC bus drivers and conductors are expected to apply for leave if they want to attend religious services on Good Friday.
A number of KTC drivers and conductors are aggrieved over the fact that while KTC personnel observe holidays for other major festivals during the calendar year, they are entitled to no such holiday on Good Friday.
“We have to apply for a leave on Good Friday to attend the service at the Church as we don’t have a holiday. Why should we be expected to take a day’s leave, when everyone else is entitled to a holiday?” asked a KTC driver.
Incidentally, it is learnt that the KTC head-office observes a holiday on Good Friday, while drivers and conductors get no such benefit on that day.
“If we don’t have holidays on Good Friday and for St Francis Xavier’s feast, why is the head office closed on these days?” asked another driver.
When contacted, Vasco KTC Depot Manager N S Naik said the drivers and conductors did not have holiday on Good Friday in the past as well. “The holidays notified are as per the industrial holiday list and the absence of a Good Friday holiday is the decision of the higher authorities,” stated Naik.
Efforts to contact Vasco MLA and KTC Chairman Carlos Almeida proved futile.
