DTC strike strands Delhi
Contract drivers and conductors of Delhi Transport Corporation buses' strike continued on Thursday, pulling buses off the roads and parking them idle at depots, leaving passengers across the capital struggling to find alternative transport.
The workers said the strike will continue until their demands are met. With DTC buses off the roads, commuters turned to autos, taxis and Gramin Seva vehicles, only to find fares had shot up sharply as demand outstripped supply.
Contract drivers and conductors are protesting to demand a salary hike, medical facilities and accident insurance, none of which they currently receive.
Speaking about their grievances, drivers said they earn only around Rs 22,000 a month, with no medical coverage or life insurance provided. “We should get medical and life insurance benefits along with a salary hike. We will continue the strike until our demands are met,” several drivers said. Contract driver Vipul Singh said the workers were demanding a wage increase, saying they currently receive Rs 862 per day, an amount he said was simply not enough to survive on. Another driver, Vinod, said he earns Rs 22,000 a month, which he said makes it impossible to manage household expenses, while permanent DTC employees earn Rs 80,000 a month for comparable work. He said their demand was for daily wages to be raised to Rs 1,500.
The strike’s ripple effect has hit commuters hard. Passengers said routes that normally cost around Rs 20 were being quoted at `100 or more by alternative transport operators. On some routes, fares ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 300 were being demanded, with commuters travelling to areas like Palam reportedly being asked to pay Rs 250 to 300 for journeys that would typically cost a fraction of that.
The disruption has not been limited to office commuters alone. People travelling to hospitals for medical appointments have also been affected, with some saying the sharp rise in auto fares had forced them to rely on cycles instead, out of sheer necessity, to reach their destinations.
The standoff highlights a widening pay gap within DTC’s own workforce, with contract staff earning a fraction of what permanent employees receive for similar duties, a disparity that has become the central grievance driving the strike.
