Following a recent protest by outsourced electric bus drivers of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), transport activists and transport employees’ unions are voicing opposition to the government’s operation of buses under the gross cost contract (GCC) model.
The activists and the unions claim that the GCC model of bus operation is going to lead to the privatisation of the State-run transport corporations.
On May 14, outsourced drivers of electric buses of BMTC Depot Number 3 staged a protest, alleging that the private company operating the electric buses under the GCC model had not paid their salaries.
The flash strike had resulted in a few buses from the depot not running for a few hours, especially during peak hours.
‘FAME scheme’
Vinay Srinivasa, member of the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike, said: “Both the Union and the State governments are responsible for this strike. The Centre pushed the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme to benefit bus manufacturers, and not commuters. The State government accepted it. We have opposed this GCC model from the beginning. The BMTC should own all buses and employ its drivers.”
“Another point to consider is the injustice faced by the outsourced bus crew, who are paid less than the corporation’s crew despite performing the same work. Why aren’t they being paid the same wage?,” Mr. Srinivasa questioned.
The BMTC’s fleet includes 636 e-buses: 246 from TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Limited (a subsidiary of Tata Motors), 300 from Switch Mobility, and 90 from JBM Auto Limited. In the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), there are 50 electric buses from Olectra Greentech Limited.
The road transport corporations (RTCs) do not own these buses. Instead, they deploy conductors and compensate private companies at a fixed rate per kilometre. The private companies are responsible for providing drivers and maintaining the fleet.
Unions criticise RTCs’ electric bus strategy
Unions allege that the RTCs’ claim of adding electric buses to the fleet to reduce air pollution is merely a ploy to help private companies profit.
“This must stop, and the government should fund the RTCs to purchase new buses so they can own and operate their own fleet,” they demanded.
Ananth Subbarao, president of KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation, said: “Operating buses through the lease model is not new, and this has been happening in the corporation for the last few decades. However, it had stopped owing to a few incidents involving corruption and accidents related to leased buses. Reverting to the lease model now will not benefit the corporation or commuters. We recently wrote a letter to the Transport Minister after this protest. In this incident, drivers were allegedly not paid their salaries. As they are not corporation employees, the corporation cannot be held accountable for this incident, which will ultimately impact the corporation’s service.”
“This lease model could impact drivers and conductors in the future if RTCs begin operating buses on a contractual basis. This may also lead slowly to the privatisation of corporations. From the commuters’ perspective, even if there are few people on a route, the RTC will run its buses. However, we cannot expect the same from private players. We cannot expect the same level of people-friendliness from private services,” he added.
Transport Minister calls for direct subsidies
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that the FAME scheme is a Central government initiative where the Centre provides a subsidy to private companies, and State transport corporations are instructed to lease buses from them.
“I have been opposing this scheme because it will not benefit us. Instead of giving subsidies to private companies, the Central government should subsidise us so that we can purchase and own the buses. Previously, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme, subsidies were provided to RTCs to buy and own buses. However, this current scheme does not allow us to purchase buses,” Mr. Reddy said.
