Drivers protest, city buses go off roads

LUCKNOW: A lot of people faced commuting blues on Monday as city buses remained off the roads due to strike by drivers in support of their five different demands including wage revision.

In the morning shift (6 am to 2 pm), less than half of the buses were on the road but in the second shift there was hardly any . A crowd was seen awaiting public transport at Polytechnic, Munshipulia, the main point for transport for people coming towards Gomtinagar from Indiranagar, Vikasnagar, Chinhat and Jankipuram.

“I have been standing for over half an hour and there has been no bus till now. I have to reach my coaching institute in Hazratganj,” said Ravi, a student who stood at Polytechnic crossing.

The drivers are demanding wages equal to the regular (permanent) drivers in the city bus service. They went on strike

WITH BUSES GOING OFF ROADS, THE LOAD CAME ON 3WHEELERS BUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUSH, THERE WAS CHAOS AT EVERY CROSSING IN THE CITY.

when their demands were turned down by the officials in a meeting convened a day before. The strike can continue on the second day as well if the talks with the officials fail. There are about 240 buses that run on city roads in two shifts. In a day, about 60,000 passengers use city buses to reach destinations. With city buses going off the roads, the load came on three-wheelers but due to excessive passenger rush, there was chaos at every crossing in the city.