On Monday, February 5, 2024 several e-bus drivers staged a protest near Pantha Chowk, Srinagar regarding harassment from passengers.
One of the protesting drivers said that one of their colleagues was ruthlessly beaten by a passenger and during the assault he was injured. “The driver is hospitalised and is undergoing treatment at the hospital,” he said.
He further added that they complained to authorities regarding the constant harassment by passengers, however, they received no response from the administration as of yet.
Another driver said, “We are all educated and have passed from recognized institutions, still we get a meagre salary of 9000 rupees per month while the e-bus drivers from Jammu get a salary of 18000 rupees per month.”
He said that this is sheer injustice to e-bus drivers operating in Kashmir.
“We had to collect funds to get the injured person treated as we got no response from thea administration,” a protesting driver said.
The e-bus will not be operated till their demands are fulfilled and harassment from passengers is looked into.
Pertinently, e-bus service was launched by the Jammu Kashmir administration in Srinagar in November 2023.