New Delhi: Commuters in the city had a hard time today as DTC buses stayed off the roads due to a strike called by the employees of the state-run agency over the killing of one of its drivers in a road-rage incident.
Helpless hordes of passengers were seen stranded at bus depots and bus shelters across the national capital even as there was a huge rush on Delhi Metro and for autorickshaws.
A 42-year-old DTC bus driver, Ashok Kumar, was yesterday beaten to death in broad daylight allegedly by a youth after his bus grazed the latter's bike in the Mundka area of west Delhi.
The incident has led to a protest by the employees of the government-run agency who have demanded security for DTC's bus staffers.
“We demand better security for DTC's drivers and conductors as they have to deal with different kind of people. Besides, they run buses till late in the night. “Cases of attack against drivers and conductors are increasing and the government should deploy a security guard inside the buses,” said Gaurav Saraswat, president of Delhi Parivahan Karamchari Yuva Sangathan.
The DTC association has also demanded that an ex gratia sum of Rs 1 crore to be extended to the family of the deceased driver after Delhi government announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for them.
