Nigdi: Around 80 contract drivers of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) are on protest and not working since Friday morning. All these drivers are on duty in the Annabhau Sathe Bus Terminal located in Nigdi's Bhakti Shakti Chowk. They have stopped working due to their demands for better pay not being agreed to by their contractors.
Demands and Wage Dispute
According to media reports, 490 electric buses are a part of the PMPML fleet, the majority of which are handled by companies under PMPML’s contract. One such company named Travel Time and its drivers have had a dispute for the past few days regarding the wage structure. Sources told that the Travel Time bus drivers receive Rs 650 per day for 8 hours of duty. However, they demanded an increase in the structure, making their monthly salary at least Rs 30,000. But as these demands weren’t fulfilled, they stopped working on Friday morning.
Statements from Drivers
Driver Nitin Bhole, a protester, said, "We were told we will be given an increment, but it wasn’t up to our expectations. The contractors told us, if you can agree to this salary, work, or if you don’t, leave. The salary doesn’t work for me, I can’t afford my expenses, that’s why I am not working. In the first shift, around 80 drivers work in them. Around 70 drivers are here. Some of the other drivers are driving them. There is no dispute, just our demands are not completed. We are working for Travel Time company as drivers. We had asked for a salary increase but they said either work or leave."
Protesters said they demanded Rs 1,000 per day, saying that living in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, expenses are increasing day by day. Until they agree to the increase in wages, they said, they won’t start work again.
Another protester, driver Swapnil Devkar, said, "We get Rs 650 per day. It is an 8-hour duty but we never return within 8 hours. Every driver works for 9/10 hours, we don’t get overtime. We had given them a proposal that every driver should get the same, if not possible at least increase this salary. They promised to increase but didn’t. Other contractors’ drivers get over Rs 900 per day. We cannot afford Rs 650 per day salary. We cannot work with this salary. Even after they agree, they might target us. If they don’t agree, we won’t work."
Commuter Reactions
Residents and commuters who rely on PMPML buses for their commute observed a lack of buses on the routes. Electric buses are preferred by many commuters because they are newer, cleaner, have better air conditioning, and are more comfortable. However, since Friday morning, many of the electric buses have not been present on roads.
Shraddha Patil, a resident of Dehu Gaon, said, "I travel to Pune City daily. From Dehu I catch a bus to Nigdi and afterwards to Pune. Electric buses were not there today. All of the commuters prefer them because they are comfortable and clean and big. But their absence was noted today. I heard the drivers going on strike."
PMPML’s Response
When asked about this, PMPML Public Relations Officer Kishore Chavan said PMPML Administration has made up for the protesting drivers. He told The Free Press Journal, "We are currently short by around 40 vehicles. A total of 190 electric vehicles are there in Pimpri-Chinchwad's Nigdi Depot. However, some of the drivers are working and others we have adjusted, so currently 150 electric vehicles are running."
He continued saying, "Until afternoon we will adjust some other way to make all the buses run. The PMPML permanent drivers cannot drive electric vehicles as they are bigger and different. We are running these buses with the help of other contract drivers. The dispute is between drivers and contractors, they will look into it."
