Public transport disrupted as green bus drivers protest ‘unrealistic’ daily targets
The protestors said that increasing number of buses has made it harder to meet daily targets, further worsening their financial woes;
Green buses in Guwahati (Photo: @astcassam/ X)
Guwahati, March 12: Guwahati commuters faced disruption on Wednesday as around 100 green buses remained off the roads due to a protest by drivers and conductors against Multitech, the company operating the city’s Green bus service.
The workers are demanding a reduction in exorbitant daily charges, which they claim are crippling their earnings.
Gathering outside the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) office in Rupnagar, the protesting drivers and conductors voiced their frustration over the company’s demand for high daily payments—some as steep as ₹7,500 per day.
They alleged that failure to meet these targets results in significant salary deductions, making it difficult for them to sustain their livelihoods.
"We are expected to pay ₹7,300 every day. If we fall short, ₹800 is deducted, leaving us with only ₹6,500," a protestor explained.
"This system makes it nearly impossible to earn a stable income. We have tried explaining our situation to the company, but they refuse to listen. Instead, they threaten to bring in outsiders to run the buses," he added, calling for an urgent reduction in the daily targets.
Another driver highlighted the financial burden, saying, “When we first started, we earned ₹18,000, which came down to ₹15,000 after PF deductions for a 26-day work month. Now, our pay has dropped to ₹12,000, and many of us are left with just ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 due to these high daily targets. If anything goes wrong, we—the drivers—are held responsible, while the company does nothing to assist us.”
According to the protestors, the increasing number of buses has made it harder to meet daily targets, further worsening their financial woes.
“There are 260 green buses in Guwahati, but we are barely making any profit. That’s why we are protesting today. Currently, only Tata green buses are running, while Olectra buses have stopped operations,” one driver pointed out.
As the protest continues, the city's public transport system is feeling the strain, with several Green buses remaining off the roads.
