UPSRTC drivers protest implementation of 8-hr shift

Around 60 bus drivers and conductors of the Awadh Bus Depot, Gomti Nagar, staged a protest at the workshop on Thursday. They demanded to be allowed to work 15-hour shifts, rather than the eight-hour ones that the Motor Transport Workers Act of 1961 allows. Mandatorily, a nine-hour rest period follows an eight-hour work shift.

Acting on their own, drivers and conductors work 15-hour shifts and extend their rest period to longer than nine hours, though this is against the laws.

Annapurna Garg, assistant managing director, UPSRTC, visited the protest site but refused to give in to the workers’ demands, and the protest continued well into the evening.

The issue has now been taken to Sanjay Kumar, managing director, UPSRTC, who will decide the action to be taken in the matter.

Around eight police officials were posted at the Awadh Bus Depot workshop to maintain order amidst the protest. “No permit was sought, or intimation given regarding this protest,” Manoj Pundhir, regional manager, Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) said.

According to Pundhir, several ARMs of various bus depots have been transferred or suspended in the recent past, for not following the rule of nine consecutive hours of rest for drivers and conductors.

“After a series of accidents, a review meeting revealed that many ARMs had not enforced this rule. The Charbagh ARM was recently transferred for not following this rule,” said Pundhir.

“The possible reason for the mishaps was thought to be that drivers would get tired and lose focus due to long shifts,” said Pundhir, who manages the depots in Barabanki, Rae Bareli and Lucknow.

However, the drivers prefer the shifts as their rest periods also get extended for the next day when the next driver takes over - “but this is unlawful,” he said.