Contractual DTC drivers’ strike enters Day 5, union flags damaged bus on roads

New Delhi: As the contractual drivers’ strike at the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) entered its fifth day on Saturday, the drivers’ union alleging that buses with broken windshields and other visible damage were being sent out on routes without repairs

New Delhi: As the contractual drivers’ strike at the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) entered its fifth day on Saturday, the drivers’ union alleging that buses with broken windshields and other visible damage were being sent out on routes without repairs.

Buses parked inside the Hasanpur Bus Depot amid the ongoing strike by contractual Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) workers. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

In a post on social media, the DTC Karmchari Ekta Union flagged that a bus at the Bawana depot’s Sector 5 workshop was being operated despite its windshield being broken. “The lives of the people of Delhi are being deliberately put at risk and AMC rules are being openly violated,” said Mukesh Sharma, general secretary of the union.

The drivers further alleged that the bus was being sent out “with the help and cooperation of the depot manager and relationship manager”. They also said the government workshop was responsible to ensure that damaged buses did not return to the roads.

Meanwhile, DTC has claimed that the protesting drivers are directly under the concessionaire and not the government agency, and that the concessionaire has been asked to look into raising the wages.

The drivers have sought a daily wage of ₹2,000, medical facilities, annual and festival bonuses, payment for government holidays, insurance and other allowances. They have also raised concerns over deductions from their wages following accidents or damage to buses.

At Rajghat depot, driver Imran Alvi, who has been driving DTC buses for five years, said the current daily wage of ₹862 was difficult to sustain a household. “What does ₹862 mean in today’s world? If you go to the market, you buy things that cost more than ₹1,500,” he said. He also alleged that even minor damage to a bus could result in deductions from drivers’ wages.

At Shadipur depot, driver Sunil Kumar, who has spent more than two decades driving public buses, said drivers were working without basic employment benefits. “We don’t get any leaves or holidays and our salary is cut on the day we don’t come. We don’t get any medical or accident insurance,” he said. He added that drivers often had to pool money when a colleague was injured or required treatment.

The union also listed demands including a ₹2,000 daily wage, immediate medical facilities, annual bonus, payment of government holidays, casual and earned leaves, insurance and implementation of “same work, same scale”, besides house rent, children’s and travel allowances.

The strike began on September 15 and has affected bus services across the city. On Friday, DTC temporarily redeployed 2,693 contractual drivers across depots to maintain services. Officials said more than 3,000 buses were functional from Friday onwards. However, drivers said the strike will continue till their demands are met.