DTC workers` strike: Delhi commuters face hardships

New Delhi: With strike of contractual workers of DTC demanding regularisation of their jobs entering the fourth day today, commuters are facing a harrowing time across the national capital.

Although the government has taken a tough stand against the strikers, commuters have no options but to travel in autos, which are taking undue advantage of the situation by charging high rates. "I waited for the bus for over two hours this afternoon at Rajghat bus stand. Thereafter, I had to take an auto and the driver charged me beyond the meter`s readings," Sumit Beigh, a resident of Darya Ganj, said. Most of the buses at DTC bus depots are not plying on road, resulting in trouble for commuters. "I didn`t find a single bus when I reached Mukherjee Nagar bus stand this morning. I then hired an auto to go to the Old Delhi Railway station," Dr Sunita Gupta, a resident of GTB Nagar, said. This is fourth consecutive day of strike of the DTC`s contractual driver conductors. "Noida`s service of DTC buses has completely been shut. There is no bus after 8 PM in Noida, so we have to wait for hours to get a bus. As Noida`s autos do not enter the national capital, we only depend on DTC and UP Roadways` services," Ram Avtar, a resident of Malviya Nagar, said. The Delhi government had yesterday threatened to sack agitating contractual employees including DTC workers and guest teachers sitting on dharna demanding regularisation of their services.