Six years after a prolonged shutdown in 2019, an indefinite strike by Telangana State Road Transport Corporation employees has once again brought the State’s public transport system to a halt, leaving nearly 65 lakh commuters stranded. Unresolved demands, especially the absorption of 40,000 employees into government service, and a widening trust deficit between workers and the government have resurfaced. While the government has shown willingness for talks while terming the strike illegal, deeper structural issues such as an ageing fleet and rising operational strain continue to plague the corporation, reports Syed Mohammed