All 100 e-buses in Jammu halted; services resume after driver union agreement 

Jammu, Aug 20: All high-tech e-buses operating in Jammu came to a halt on Wednesday as the drivers went on strike, protesting the non-fulfilment of their long-standing demands over the past two years since these buses began operating in Jammu & Kashmir.Currently, 90 e-buses are operational across various routes in Jammu, with 10 buses undergoing maintenance and repairs in the yards. As a result of the strike, no e-bus ran on Wednesday, causing significant inconvenience to commuters.However, late in the evening, an agreement was reached between the drivers’ union and Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL), paving the way for the resumption of e-bus services from tomorrow.The striking drivers said they have not received any salary increments in the last two years. “Our salaries are deducted if any damage occurs to the buses,” Ravinder Pal Singh, president of the e-buses union, said. The drivers also raised concerns about transfers, saying that most drivers from Jammu are being transferred to Srinagar without valid reasons.“In the evening, we held detailed discussions with the striking drivers, and we have agreed to consider their genuine demands,” said Devansh Yadav, CEO of JSCL. He added, “From tomorrow, all e-buses will operate on different routes across Jammu. The drivers were also demanding permanent postings, but that is beyond our authority. Nonetheless, we have assured them that their genuine issues will be addressed.”With the agreement in place, the e-bus services are set to resume, restoring transportation for commuters in Jammu.