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Delhi: Bus strike continues, but situation eases

With over 6,000 contract buses restarting service, the chaotic situation caused by the ongoing bus strike in the capital improved on Friday.

The claim is by Delhi Transport Minister Rajendra Gupta, who was hopeful of resolving the crisis by Monday.

However, Joint Front of Contract Bus Associations spokesperson Bobby K S Sawhney said contract bus operators -- just like their Blueline counterparts -- had not withdrawn from the strike. Describing the government claim implying that as 'immature', he said though some contract buses were on the road, the strike was still very much on.

Meanwhile, the 4,000-odd Blueline operators remained adamant that they would put their buses back into service only after an assurance from the authorities that their two demands -- extension of permits for another five years and transfer of ownership on power of attorney basis -- would be met.

Delhi Transport Minister Rajendra Gupta said some 250 buses had come from Punjab and more were expected by Saturday. The government had asked Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to lend 1,000 buses each to tide over the crisis.

Gupta said show cause notices had been issued to about 300 Blueline permit holders. He said the Essential Services Maintenance Act had already been invoked and it was upto the police to implement it.

State Transport Association president Ramesh Dalal said he would welcome it if the Union surface transport minister or the home minister intervened. He said a national strike of bus operators may shortly be called in support of the Delhi operators' cause.

''We will make it a national parivahan mahapanchayat,'' he said.

Meanwhile, transport department sources said departmental action had been initiated to cancel the licences of striking Blueline operators.

''Under the Motor Vehicles Act, these buses cannot be taken off the roads,'' they said.

UNI

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