‘SSCL bus drivers, conductors without salaries for three months’

Idrees Bukhtiyar
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19 Feb 2026

Srinagar, Feb 19: Over 250 bus drivers and conductors engaged with Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) claim that they have not received their salaries for the past three months. Several drivers and conductors, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said they have been struggling to manage their households due to non-payment of wages. “We have not been paid for three months. We have families to feed, rent to pay, and children’s school fees pending. It has become extremely difficult to survive,” said a driver operating on the Parimpora-Jahangir Chowk route. A conductor echoed similar concerns: “Every day we are on the roads from morning till evening, but our dues are not being cleared. We have approached the concerned authorities several times, but nothing concrete has come out so far." Several employees of SSCL alleged that not only drivers and conductors, but some contractors who executed different works in the city have also not been paid for months. Meanwhile, commuters have expressed dissatisfaction over the overall functioning of SSCL buses, claiming that the service is running in losses and mismanagement is affecting both staff and passengers. “There are days when buses run almost empty on certain routes, while on other routes they are overcrowded. There seems to be no proper planning,” said Nadeem Ahmad, a commuter from Bemina. “If the buses are running in losses, the burden should not fall on drivers and conductors.” Another commuter from Hyderpora said, “We often hear that these buses are part of the Smart City initiative, but basic issues like timely salaries and proper scheduling should be addressed first. Otherwise, how will the system sustain itself?” Meanwhile, a senior official of SSCL acknowledged the delay in payments but attributed it to administrative issues. “Higher authorities have unnecessarily stopped the bills of drivers, conductors and some contractors,” an SSCL official said. The official, however, did not clarify the reasons behind the stoppage of bills or provide a definite timeline for the clearance of pending dues.