A day after over 1000 non-executive staff members of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) took to “fast-and-work” policy and picketed the Yamuna Bank metro station demanding better salaries, the Delhi Police has now issued prohibitory orders and imposed Section 144 in the Delhi Metro and its adjoining areas.
In another development, the management of the DMRC has also convened a meeting of the Staff Council today to resolve the issues. “DMRC management through Staff Council is regularly attempting to resolve the issues. However, DMRC has to work within the Government rules and regulations in the matter of Pay and Perks to their staff. Therefore, it is not possible to agree to demands outside the above rules and regulations,” a DMRC spokesperson said.
The official further added, “We believe that majority of the employees understand this situation, however, there are some individuals who are misguiding the others.” With no desirable response from the management, the disgruntled non-executive staff members of the public transporter on Wednesday took to fasting as a sign of protest.
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Close to 2,500 non-executive staff members of the DMRC have been protesting against the management since May. Since Wednesday, the members started their ‘fast-and-work’ policy. They are demanding an increase in their basic pay, job security and a more accountable Staff Council.
“We have decided to fast and work. If any train operator faints or falls ill in this heat, train services will be affected for an hour or more. It takes almost 30 minute for a complete rescue mission. We are resorting to this as our repeated appeals to the management have failed. Besides, we cannot go on a hunger strike as they will invoke ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act),” said a member of the Staff Council on the condition of anonymity.
Since May 5, the non-executives have been donning a black armband over their uniforms. Besides, they have also stopped using facilities like the dressing rooms provided by the DMRC. Instead, they are picketing at platforms of stations like Shahdara, Huda City Centre, Vishwavidyalaya, Yamuna Bank, Mundka and Badarpur metro stations.
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In the DRMC, the basic pay of non-executive staff varies from Rs. 8, 000 to Rs.18, 500, while that of an executive staff member is above Rs. 20,600. The majority of protestors are those who get a salary between Rs.8, 000 and Rs.16, 000.
“The executive staff members get Rs.12, 000 as travel allowance. We have demanded the same for us. Besides, we also want job security. They cannot terminate us based on a single mistake,” said another staff council member, recalling how the employment of train operator Ram Naresh was terminated for “accidentally” running the metro with doors open.
Nearly 1,000 train operators, 1,000 project and maintenance staff members and 500 station controllers are protesting. They are also demanding that maximum running hours be brought down to five-and-a-half hours per day from the current maximum of six-and-a-half hours.
Like the railways, they are also demanding a fixed rate of Rs.2 per kilometre driven. At present, the DMRC has over 8,000 non-executive staff on its payroll. The workers had last sent a letter to DMRC Managing Director Manghu Singh on May 25.