DTC low-floor bus, Delhi (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Delhi commuters continued to struggle as the DTC drivers’ strike dragged on through the weekend.
Services were affected in areas including Burari, Wazirpur, Nehru Place, Rajghat, Rani Khera, Ghumanhera and Sarita Vihar.
Some e-rickshaw drivers were demanding Rs 15 to Rs 20 for trips of two to two and a half kilometres.
Delhi Metro added trains in peak hours.
The union says more than 10,000 drivers and conductors are on strike.
The union is demanding a daily wage of Rs 2,000, against the current Rs 862 a day.
Other demands include medical facilities, social-security benefits, an annual bonus, payment for government holidays and leave.
Thousands of buses remained parked at depots across the capital.
Services were reported to be hit in areas including Burari, Wazirpur, Nehru Place, Rajghat, Rani Khera, Ghumanhera and Sarita Vihar.
Long queues were seen at bus stops, and some e-rickshaw drivers were asking Rs 15 to Rs 20 for distances of two to two and a half kilometres.
Delhi Metro added train services during peak hours as more commuters switched to it.
Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said the administration had already approved certain benefits, including medical facilities, leave compensation, additional kilometre payments and death assistance.
The government distinguished between direct DTC employees and those hired through private contractors.
Union president Lalit Chaudhary said the drivers were not asking for anything unreasonable and that the protest would continue until the demands were met.
Reports differed on the day count, with one report calling Friday the fourth day of the strike and another saying it entered its fifth day on Saturday.
No emergency order to end the strike was reported in the accounts reviewed.
The strike began earlier in the week and continued through the weekend.
Many Delhi residents rely on DTC buses for daily commuting, so even a short strike has a wide impact on the city.
DTC low-floor bus, Delhi (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
