BRTS staff’s protest leaves commuters inconvenienced

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 16

Employees of the metro bus service, running under the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) project, on Wednesday held a protest. As a result, city residents had to face a lot inconvenience as they could reach their destinations. Many had to pay hefty auto-rickshaw rent to reach their destinations. The employees were protesting against the delay in disbursing salaries.

However, the drivers reached a compromise with the authorities after which the authorities credited the salaries into their accounts. Late in the evening, the authorities managed to start service of at least 10 buses. The drivers promised to resume work from Thursday morning.

Sarwan Singh Malhi, leader of the protesting drivers, said besides salaries, the employees were also against unjustified cuts in their salaries for little mistakes by the drivers and other employees. He said the management had given in writing that the money deducted as fines would be reimbursed before Diwali.

The drivers complained that a delay in releasing their salaries had become a routine affair. “Even as there are many festivals in this month, we had not received our salaries for the month till date. Though employed, they were feeling helpless as they were not able to meet the needs of their families,” said a driver. Earlier on July 18, the employees had also staged a protest over the non-payment of salaries for two months.

As the metro buses remained off the road throughout the day, passengers, especially school and college students who used the service to reach their institutes, came to know about the strike on reaching bus stops.

As per an estimate, around 30,000 passengers use the service daily. “It is comfortable and economical to travel on these buses instead of auto rickshaws. Those who mostly travel by these buses bear the brunt during such strikes. The employees should be paid salaries on time,” said Kewal Kumar.