Commuters on Delhi roads were left confused on Thursday after the Delhi government said the strike called by the cluster bus staff earlier this week had been called off, even as the workers’ union said that not only was the agitation on, but would be intensified.
Staff of the orange bus service that operate as many as 1,500 vehicles run by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) had gone on strike on Monday. Among their demands were that the new minimum wage set by the Delhi government be applied to them. The Delhi government, meanwhile, said the private concessionaires that own the buses had agreed to pay the workers increased wages.
‘900 buses back on roads’
“The strike has been called off and 900 buses have resumed service,” Transport Minister Satyendar Jain told journalists.
The workers, however, denied calling of the strike and even termed reports to this effect as politically motivated. This, even as a few cluster buses were seen plying on the roads in the evening.
“People are trying to spread stories. The strike is still on. In fact, we met the Lieutenant-Governor today [Thursday] and gave the notice of our intention to start a hunger strike from Friday,” said Pramod Tomar, president of the Audyogik Kamgar Vikas Union, which is leading the agitation.
‘Will continue protest’
Mr. Tomar added that the union had not received any assurance about the workers’ demands being met. “The bus owners told the authorities that they would meet our demands, but now they are refusing to do so. We will continue our protest till they agree to our demands,” he said.
