Jamshedpur : The city buses under JNNURM resumed its service in different notified routes after the drivers and conductors withdrew the indefinite strike today.
“We withdrew the strike as the drivers and conductors were paid for April of outstanding salary and May salary will be paid soon, ” said Ganga Prasad , president of City Bus Karamchari Sangh.
He said that about 40-odd drivers and conductors who were on strike resumed work today.
Officials of the private service provider, confirmed the outstanding salary payment . ” The outstanding payment of two months was released by Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation ( JTDC). We have also requested the corporation for releasing the salary of another two months which is due to the employees,” said an official.
Buses today started plying in six approved routes NIT Junction to Mercy Hospital, Transport Colony to Mercy Hospital, MGM-railway station, Sakchi court-Ram Mandir ( Bistupur), Pardih-Sundernagar, Aashiana-Baridih, Kandra-railway station and Mango-Birsanagar.
Notably, everyday the centre-sponsored buses under JNNURM ferry over 10,000 passengers. The buses ply between 6 am and 7 pm. In some of the routes the service is extended till 9 pm.
Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) pays Rs 1.5 lakh a month as salaries to drivers, conductors and support staff. Drivers get an average monthly salary of Rs 3,200 while conductors get Rs 3,700. Both have not received a single paise from December.
“Several anomalies are there in the management and we have not received the salaries. Anomalies were also found in sale of tickets which led to a resentment among the drivers and other staff, “said Prasad.
Notably, the bus service has been plagued by problems ever since its launch. Insiders alleged that a section of retired employees of the erstwhile Bihar State Road Transport Corporation regularly stir up trouble by provoking drivers to go for frequent strike.
The city bus service which ferries about 30,000 passengers daily has recently introduced buses in five new routes including Sakchi- Govindpur and Sakchi-Rahargora route, keeping in view the demand of passengers. With this the number of routes have been increased to 13.
