Yamuna Expressway bus tragedy: A day in the life of a 'miserable' UPSRTC bus driver

Yamuna Expressway bus tragedy: The accident that happened on Tuesday led to 29 deaths including of the driver himself. The extent of the tragedy, that was blamed on the driver falling asleep at the wheel, elicited reactions from PM Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath. 

Now, the bus drivers too have reacted in the public sphere, describing the miserable nature of their day at work. UP State Roadways Corporation (UPSRTC) contractual bus drivers took to Facebook to reveal how bad their job , including their salaries and working conditions are. Here are the excerpts from their blog called 'UP Parichalark': 

''After the death of twenty-nine passengers in Agra's road accident, the methodology of UP roadways is once again under the scanner. It is feared that this accident happened due to driver's sleep. If this is the reality, then the driver's negligence is there, but the double-edged roadway's remuneration, that gives less money to contracted employees is also equally responsible."

The post added that contractual drivers and conductors get Rs 1.36 per km and are expected to work up to 16 to 17 hours. The UPSRTC has around 26,000 drivers and conductors, of which 17,500 are employed on contractual basis. The drivers on contractual basis get payment per kilometre. Regular drivers who have put in 22 days of duty and covered 5,000 km get an additional incentive of Rs 3,000.

"If the contractual drivers cover even a kilometre less that 5,000, their working days are noted as 21 instead of 22 and the incentive is held back. Contractual staff works up to 15 top 20 hours a day because they need the money to keep their families going. We are made to drive buses that are in a poor condition and if we refuse, our services are terminated," the post further said.

The post also said that the contractual staff is made to pay for breakages if any and also for excess fuel consumed. The employees unions had raised these issues several times but did not go beyond a point because of the fear of dismissal. There has been no effort to regularize the service of ad hoc employees or get the buses serviced and maintained on a regular basis, post further added.