MASROOR AHMAD
SRINAGAR: Although Smart City buses are back on routes after a brief halt, drivers are in a danger-like situation as passengers are turning violent against the e-bus operators. It has been seen that many passengers are not giving tickets and many are arguing to pay extra than the mini bus and even some passengers are attacking conductors and bus operators by taking the law in their own hands.
Recently e-bus service was introduced in Srinagar which was a gamechanger for the daily commuters as the long pending public transport problem and the issue of evening transportation was solved by these e-buses.
Now the operators are facing several issues and want to solve these problems. But accusing the higher-ups of Srinagar Smart City Ltd (SSCL) of turning a blind eye over their plight, e-bus drivers and conductors took to the streets in Srinagar and threatened to suspend service on all routes, in case the ‘harassment’ meted out to them by the passengers was not immediately stopped.
Shouting slogans “LG admin wake up, want justice”, dozens of the e-bus drivers and conductors staged a protest in Srinagar on February 5 against the harassment meted out to them by the passengers.
Pertinently, a video of a passenger attacking an e-bus operator in the Batamalloo area of the city went viral on social media, sparking protests by his fraternity.
“We have been facing a series of issues ever since the e-bus service was started in Srinagar. However, the higher-ups of the SSCL despite being well aware of our problems have never been serious enough to address the same,” Gulzar Ahmad, a protester said.
Despite our honest efforts to put travellers at ease and accomplish our jobs, the daily animosity we encounter has a detrimental effect on our lives, he added.
“We receive a little amount of Rs 9000 a month, and are abused by the passengers frequently. One of our colleagues was severely beaten by a passenger in Batamalloo; however the officials of SSCL did not react,” Gulzar said.
The e-bus drivers and conductors threatened to suspend the service on all routes in Srinagar, in case the harassment meted out to them by the passengers was not immediately stopped.
“We are all highly educated, but the unemployment issue has forced us to work as drivers and conductors. We cannot risk our lives and appeal to the Lieutenant Governor to take serious note of the problems we face or else we will be forced to halt services on all routes.” they threatened. However, officials of the Srinagar Smart City Limited said that the e-bus conductors and drivers did not have any issue with them and were up against the hiring agency, seeking redressal of their issues .
Now matter has been resolved and the buses have resumed operation on designated routes smoothly across the city.
He added that the demand for the registration of case against the person who assaulted the driver will also be looked into and necessary action taken in this regard.
