City bus services in Gorakhpur resumed after being suspended for about five hours on Monday morning following a strike by conductors over alleged payment of wages below the prescribed standard and several other demands. The conductors parked buses at the Mahesra charging point station and staged a sit-in, disrupting services and causing inconvenience to thousands of commuters.
According to the conductors, the new company responsible for city bus operations has been paying wages below the previously fixed standard. They said the issue had remained unresolved despite repeated complaints, prompting all conductors to stop bus operations and begin a strike at the Mahesra charging point on Monday morning. Bus services remained affected for about five hours.
After receiving information about the strike, Regional Manager (RM) Love Kumar held discussions with the conductors. Following assurances that their grievances would be addressed, the conductors agreed to end the protest. They selected three representatives to present their demands before officials and the company.
The RM assured the conductors that representatives of SS Trading Company would be called for discussions on their grievances and that efforts would be made to resolve all pending issues. Following the assurance, the strike ended. The first city bus resumed operations at around 11 a.m., and services were gradually restored.
However, the conductors stated that they expect an immediate resolution to their demands and issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the management. They said they could resume their protest if their issues are not resolved within the stipulated period.
The suspension of services caused widespread inconvenience to passengers during the morning hours. City buses in Gorakhpur normally begin operations at around 5 a.m. and are used daily by school students, office-goers, college students and relatives of patients travelling to hospitals.
The sudden suspension forced passengers to wait for extended periods on routes including Mahesra, Mohaddipur, Railway Station, Kachahri and other major corridors. Many commuters relied on auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws and said they had to pay higher fares, while several reached schools, colleges and workplaces late.
Gorakhpur operates a fleet of 27 city buses with around 80 conductors. Bus operations came to a complete halt after all conductors gathered at the Mahesra charging point and staged the protest, leaving buses parked at the charging station and suspending public transport services during the morning.
The conductors alleged that responsibility for city bus operations and wage payments shifted to a new company after the previous company's contract ended. They claimed the new company has been paying wages below the agreed standard despite pre-determined payment conditions.
They said they had repeatedly raised the matter with officials but no concrete solution had been provided, leading them to collectively suspend work on Monday morning.
The conductors said that rising living costs have made it difficult to support their families on reduced wages. They stated that household expenses, children's education costs and other financial obligations require regular payment according to the prescribed standard, adding that assurances alone would not be sufficient.
Among their demands, the conductors sought wages at the rate of ₹6 per kilometre, with payments based on the actual distance travelled by each bus. They also demanded the return of money deposited as DD (Demand Draft) or security.
The conductors further demanded that salary payments be made on a fixed date every month to enable financial planning. They also sought timely issuance of salary slips, Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) benefits, uniforms and appointment letters, alleging that salary slips and EPF-related facilities are currently not being provided.
Another demand relates to payment when a bus breaks down during a trip. The conductors said they should receive payment for 180 kilometres if a bus becomes inoperative during service. They also sought immediate support from the company or the city transport station in cases of staff shortages or employee-related issues.
The conductors also demanded job security, stating that no conductor should be removed from duty for raising legitimate demands. They further sought assurance that employees returning from leave would be reinstated to duty.
During the sit-in at the Mahesra charging point, the conductors said they would not return to work until concrete action was taken on their demands.
Following discussions between RM Love Kumar and the conductors' representatives, officials assured them that the company would be invited for talks and efforts would be made to resolve the issues. The conductors then withdrew their protest and resumed bus operations.
Although services resumed after the first bus departed at around 11 a.m., passenger congestion and inconvenience continued on several routes because of the morning disruption.
The three representatives selected by the conductors will now present their demands before officials and representatives of SS Trading Company. Decisions on wages and other demands are expected after those discussions.
The conductors have given the management 24 hours to address their grievances. They said city bus services could again be affected if discussions with SS Trading Company do not result in a resolution.
The disruption directly affected daily commuters across Gorakhpur, where city buses connect several important areas and serve large numbers of passengers every day. The sudden suspension left commuters with limited transport options, forcing many to depend on auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws.
Passengers said the employees' grievances should be resolved quickly to prevent future disruptions, while the conductors maintained that their demands have remained pending for a long time and that they are seeking only the agreed wage payments and essential employee benefits.
The strike, which lasted about five hours, ended after assurances from RM Love Kumar, and city bus services have resumed with the first bus operating at around 11 a.m. However, the conductors reiterated that they could resume the strike if discussions with SS Trading Company fail to resolve their demands within the 24-hour deadline.
