DTC bus strike enters second day
The strike by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus drivers entered its second day on Wednesday, leaving commuters in the lurch.
Transport Minister Pankaj Singh assured the drivers of resolving their issues as he appealed to them to call off the strike. Several parents also complained about the lack of bus service for schools.
Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, in a message to parents, said the operational status of its school buses remained uncertain due to the strike in certain areas. The school said it had made alternative transportation arrangements for the return journey and asked parents to remain in touch with the respective ‘Bus Didi’ for updates on bus availability until services become regular.
The DTC had stopped providing buses to schools in the city from the 2023 academic session in view of growing demand for its fleet for public transport.
The DTC had been providing over 350 of its buses to schools for carrying children. Now, the buses have been withdrawn, and only 8-10 buses have been provided to some schools to provide transport facilities for specially abled children.
The drivers, mostly of the new electric buses, are mainly demanding daily-wage hikes, medical facilities and overtime payment.
“We back the demand of drivers; currently no government representatives have reached out to us. Our strike is peaceful, and we have decided not to drive buses,” said Lalit Chaudhary, president of the DTC Karamchari Ekta Union.
The drivers and conductors operating these DTC buses are currently running such large vehicles for a wage of Rs 862, the minimum wage fixed by the Delhi government, which is typically intended for daily-wage labourers, factory workers, or employees in small companies, he added.
“We have directed the private concessioners managing the DTC electric buses to sort the issues with drivers immediately. Also, I would like to appeal to the drivers to withdraw the strike. We are here to listen to your issues; essential services should not be affected,” Singh told reporters.
According to the protesting drivers, a penalty is imposed on them in case the bus suffers any damage, which, they said, should be removed.
“It is very difficult for us to manage on the salary that we are getting; there is no medical coverage for us. The government has reached out to us, but no concrete solution has been worked out yet, so the strike will continue,” said Sonu, one of the protesting bus drivers.
Commuters said on social media platforms that fewer buses were available on the roads on Wednesday, causing problems in daily commutes.
Currently, there are around 6,500 total DTC buses in the city, with a total ridership of around 60 lakh per day.
