Electric buses go off Puducherry roads as drivers launch strike

As many as 25 electric buses introduced under the Smart Cities Mission in Puducherry stayed off the roads on Monday (October 5, 2026) following a strike by the drivers to press for their charter of demands.

The protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations by the drivers operating the buses under a private operator. The PRTC’s electric buses are run by Evey Trans Limted, a subsidiary of Olectra Greentech under the Gross Contract Model (GCC) model, where the Corporation provides only conductors, while the operator handles drivers, maintenance, and other operational responsibilities.

The drivers receive their salaries directly from the operator.

Salary woes

Drivers operating the electric buses alleged that their salaries had not been increased despite being made to work from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. They said their demands included the restoration of the monthly food allowance of ₹2,500, which they claimed had been discontinued, and the reinstatement of five drivers who were terminated from service.

A driver alleged that the operator had proposed recovering penalties imposed for traffic violations and route diversions from the salaries of the drivers. “This is unacceptable,” he said, adding that the buses’ automatic-door system had also created operational difficulties.

According to the drivers, the management had instructed them not to pick up passengers at traffic signals, as it could disrupt traffic.

The protesters further alleged that the management had been issuing memos to drivers and deducting their weekly off if they took a day’s leave. They said they had served strike notice a month earlier to push for their demands.

Drivers’ salaries raised recently: Operator

A spokesperson of the private operator said the drivers’ salaries had been raised only recently and that the latest agitation was the fifth strike by the crew.

He said four drivers had been dismissed for dereliction of duty, while another had left the service voluntarily. The operator has been incurring losses, he said, claiming that penalties totalling around ₹15 lakh a month had been imposed over the past three months for traffic violations.