Delhi Government Promises Pay Increase for 22,000 DTC Contract Workers Ahead of Elections

New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) Chief Minister Atishi reached out to the 22,000 contractual employees of the Delhi Transport Corporation on Monday, promising them a pay increase, regularisation of services, closer postings to their residences, and re-skilling for drivers in operating e-buses as the CNG fleet is being phased out.

During a press conference, CM Atishi stated that a proposal is being forwarded to Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena to replace the current daily wage of Rs 843 or Rs 21,900 monthly with grade pay, which would result in monthly salaries of Rs 32,900 for contractual drivers and Rs 29,000 for contractual conductors.

“We hope this proposal will gain approval soon, and within a month or two, contract drivers and conductors will start receiving regular grade pay along with annual increments,” CM Atishi added, mentioning that a proposal for the regularisation of contractual staff will also be submitted to the L-G.

This initiative by the CM for DTC contractual staff, occurring just before elections, is perceived as a strategy by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to secure a substantial vote bank. The 22,000 contractual DTC employees, alongside their families, are viewed as influential in numerous constituencies across the rural areas in north and east Delhi.

CM Atishi indicated that the wage increase for DTC contractual staff would entail an additional annual expenditure of Rs 222 crore by the Delhi government, for which the Cabinet is expected to approve a proposal shortly.

She noted that the 4,564 contractual drivers and 17,850 contractual conductors had raised concerns about being assigned to depots far from their homes and expressed a desire for postings nearer to their residences.

“A new policy was established by the DTC on November 3 to rationalise the assignments of drivers and conductors, aiming to allocate postings closer to their homes. This entire process will be conducted online, and a list of postings will be prepared transparently,” she explained.

CM Atishi also expressed gratitude to drivers and conductors for suspending their agitation and giving the Delhi government time to address their concerns.

A training schedule has been devised to prepare contractual drivers, who currently operate CNG buses, for driving e-buses, as the fleet is set to expand in the coming months.

The CM also mentioned a recent flash strike by staff at the Sarojini Nagar Depot after its conversion to an all-women facility. Many women employees had expressed their discontent regarding assignments at the depot and requested postings closer to their homes.

“Within a day of our meeting with the protesting women employees, we issued orders allowing them to request transfers to depots of their preference,” stated the Chief Minister.

Regarding the delay in re-engagement of the 10,000 out-of-job bus marshals, CM Atishi expressed her desire to appeal to the L-G on behalf of all women in the city to expedite the recall of bus marshals for enhanced safety in public transport.