Hyderabad: The TSRTC has allegedly been forcing its drivers and conductors to work additional hours to reach their daily targets, according to some staff members.
For instance, the team of a conductor and driver on average would collect Rs 5,000 per day in an eight-hour shift. However, the management keeps asking such teams to work for 16 hours and fixes a target of Rs 14,000, it was alleged.
A driver, not willing to be identified, told Deccan Chronicle that they have specific routes and rounds. “If anything happens to the bus during duty hours, we have to wait for the technical team to arrive. After that, we have to complete the assigned rounds for the day.”
A conductor said, “We have to be around for more hours if any problem happens to the vehicle. Also, if many people have not boarded the bus, how can we reach the targeted collection?''
Responded Janaki Ram, chief traffic manager: “We are giving incentives to those who collect more than the targeted amount. We are not forcing them to do more work on days when they are collecting less. We fix targets based on the previous month's collection on the route.”
“We never forced drivers and conductors to work for more time than the assigned working hours. If anything happens to the vehicle, they spend some 20 or 30 minutes of extra time a day. It happens rarely. Every depot has an RO water plant and a cooler. Drivers and conductors can fill their bottles and drink from the water plants,” he said.
