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Crime, law and justice
Delhi bus strike leaves commuters stranded as Rs 20 bus journeys cost Rs 150 by auto
The DTC drivers' and conductors' strike has left commuters across Delhi scrambling for transport. Many are now paying several times the usual fare or waiting for hours.
The ongoing strike by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) drivers and conductors has disrupted daily travel across the capital, leaving commuters struggling to find affordable alternatives.
With DTC buses off the roads, passengers at several bus stops are waiting for long periods, while some are being forced to rely on autos, e-rickshaws and other modes of transport charging significantly higher fares.
For many daily commuters, the difference in cost is substantial. Passengers travelling between Badarpur and Moolchand usually pay around Rs 20 to travel by DTC bus.
During the strike, however, some commuters said they were paying as much as Rs 150 for the same journey in an auto or other private transport.
Commuters at the Moolchand-Andrews Ganj area also reported difficulties in finding transport. Several passengers said they had been waiting for buses for an extended period but had no option but to consider taking autos despite the higher fares.
'HOW WILL WE SAVE IF WE HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH'
A commuter named Aman said he regularly travels between South Extension and the Badarpur border and normally spends around Rs 20 on a DTC bus. He said he had to pay Rs 150 through Rapido to reach his destination because of the strike.
“If I have to spend Rs 300 on travelling every day, what will a person earning Rs 15,000-20,000 a month save? How will he manage his other expenses?” Aman said, adding that he had already been waiting for a bus for around one-and-a-half hours.
Another commuter, Mukesh, who lives in Madangir, said he paid Rs 70 for an auto to travel from Madangir to South Extension. He said the DTC fare for the same journey is around Rs 20 and that he had been waiting for a bus at the Andrews Ganj-Moolchand bus stop for nearly an hour.
Pinky Raj, who had visited an Ayurvedic hospital for treatment, said she had travelled from Okhla Tank to Andrews Ganj by paying Rs 150 for an auto, whereas the DTC fare for the route is around Rs 20. She said autos were either unwilling to take passengers or were demanding high fares.
'CHARGING RS 50 FOR A KILOMETRE'
Another commuter, Shiv Sundar Rai, said he paid Rs 100 to travel from Khanpur to Moolchand. He added that the fare from Moolchand to South Extension, a distance of around one kilometre, was Rs 50, while the DTC fare from Khanpur to Moolchand is around Rs 20.
Mohammed Hasan, who works in the area, said he had been waiting for a DTC bus after finishing his duty but was considering taking the Metro to Noida because buses were unavailable. He said the alternative would cost him more.
The disruption has particularly affected commuters who depend on DTC buses for low-cost daily travel. With the strike continuing, passengers are being forced to spend more on transportation or wait for extended periods for an available alternative.
