Hyderabad: The indefinite strike by artisans of the Transmission Corporation of Telangana Limited (TRANSCO) was called off on April 17 following direct intervention by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. The workers’ decision came after assurances that their long-pending demands—including regularisation of services and salary revisions—would be taken up with senior officials. The strike, which began on April 8 under the banner of the Telangana Vidyuth Artisan Employees Joint Action Committee, had raised concerns amid rising electricity demand during peak summer.

The situation escalated earlier when TRANSCO issued a strict ultimatum to the striking employees, warning of termination if they failed to resume duties by April 16. The notice invoked provisions of the Telangana Essential Services Maintenance Act (TESMA) along with other legal frameworks, effectively making the strike illegal during a six-month ban period imposed on power sector employees. This move significantly increased pressure on workers, as non-compliance could have resulted in immediate job loss, leaving little room for prolonged protest.

The breakthrough came after union leaders met the Deputy CM at Praja Bhavan, where he stressed that continuing the strike during a period of high electricity demand was impractical and potentially harmful to public services. Following these discussions, union representatives agreed to withdraw the strike and return to work, opting for negotiations over confrontation. While the government has promised to address their grievances, the real test will be whether these assurances translate into concrete action—otherwise, this issue could easily resurface.