The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) drivers’ strike entered its third day on Thursday, with more than 10,000 drivers staying off duty and most of the corporation’s 6,840 public buses remaining parked across depots, according to a report by The Indian Express. The strike has disrupted bus services across Delhi as drivers demand better pay and employment conditions.
The drivers are seeking a minimum daily wage of Rs 2,000, an annual bonus, payment for work performed on government holidays and medical insurance, among other demands. The current daily wage cited in the report is Rs 862. Drivers told The Indian Express that travel costs, household expenses, loans and deductions leave little or no money at the end of the month.
Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said on Thursday that all demands except a wage increase had been accepted. He said the accepted demands included medical facilities, leave, compensation for additional kilometres driven and employment for a family member in the event of a driver’s death. Singh said the concessionaire had accepted these demands and that he would consult the Labour department before determining an appropriate wage increase.
The drivers’ union disputed the minister’s account. Lalit Chaudhary, president of the DTC Karamchari Ekta Union, told The Indian Express that none of the demands had been met by the government during negotiations. He said the strike would continue on Friday.
The disruption was visible at several depots. At Wazirpur, 150 buses were reported to be parked while drivers sat outside the depot. Joginder Singh, a driver who travels daily from Jhajjar to report for work, said the commute costs him Rs 80. He drives around 105 km a day over three rounds between Wazirpur and Nand Nagri and said he was asking friends to pay the EMI on his motorbike.
At the GT Karnal depot, 121 buses remained parked, according to the report. Driver Ashu Panchal said petrol for his daily journey from Sonipat cost Rs 150-200, while food and other household expenses added to the pressure on his income. He drives Route 442 between Azadpur and Nehru Place and also works on a gig ride platform while returning home.
Drivers at Rajghat depot 1 and Shadipur described additional financial pressures. Imran Alvi said deductions could be made from drivers’ pay when buses suffered minor damage. Sunil Kumar, who has driven public buses for more than two decades, said drivers were not provided leave, holiday pay, medical insurance or accident insurance. He also said drivers often struggled to earn incentives linked to completing routes on time and stopping at designated bus stops in Delhi traffic.
The transport minister’s next step is consultation with the Labour department on the wage increase. The union, however, has said the strike will continue, leaving the status of bus operations dependent on further negotiations between the government, the concessionaire and the drivers.
