New Delhi: Amid the ongoing strike by DTC’s contractual drivers, Delhi govt has invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act (Esma), prohibiting agitations by employees associated with Delhi Transport Corporation for six months. Govt also transferred 500 DTC drivers Tuesday to help private concessionaires, which operate a large number of the corporation’s buses.DTC services have been disrupted in several parts of Delhi since Sept 16 after drivers employed on contract through private agencies went on strike, demanding higher wages and medical and social security benefits. The general secretary of DTC Karamchari Ekta Union, Manoj Sharma, said none of the demands had been met yet.Transport minister Pankaj Mishra confirmed both moves. Many permanent DTC drivers deployed on non-driving duties, including pollution checks with the transport department and official work at depots, have been sent to operate buses run by private players to overcome the manpower shortage, said union president Lalit Chaudhary.The Esma notification, issued on Sept 25, states repeated disruption of DTC services had caused inconvenience and hardship to the public, prompting govt to take the step. Delhi has a public bus fleet of approximately 6,600 buses, which includes around 4,900 electric and 1,750 CNG buses.
