LAccMI Bus Drivers Resort To Work Boycott In Odisha’s Cuttack

Cuttack: The drivers of LAccMI buses in Odisha’s Cuttack district boycotted the work on Friday in protest against the state government’s failure in fulfilling its commitments on improving their working conditions.

According to sources, hundreds of drivers of the government buses operating under the Location Accessible Multi-modal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme abstained from their work. They staged a dharna on the premises of Tangi-Choudwar block office.

The agitating drivers told the media that they resorted to the agitation as the government had gone back on its promises to them. “While we are working for long hours, the remuneration is not paid regularly,” they said.

They said at the time of joining the service, they were assured by the district magistrate that they would be given daily food allowances of Rs 300 after three months and wage per km of driving after six months. But the pledges remain unfulfilled, they added.

Alleging that they had not been paid their salaries for several months, they said they had not been issued even joining letters. They threatened to continue their agitation till their demands were fulfilled.