Delhi metro’s ugly secret- Report by Tehelka

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As the legend goes, Shah Jahan had the hands of the Taj Mahal’s chief architect chopped off so that a monument like it is never built again. Craftsmen who built the wonders of the world have been subject to such injustice, which continues even in the 21st century. People who work for the Delhi Metro, which has played a vital role in giving New Delhi its much-hyped makeover, are being grievously exploited. They provide a world-class service, but are being deprived of even their basic rights.

Until a decade ago, New Delhi was a different place. People poured in from all over the country looking for jobs, resulting in a population explosion. By 2000, it had become impossible for the city’s roads to cater to the rising number of vehicles. Flyover and underpasses were built to resolve the problem. Finally, the advent of the Metro rail at such a time was like a panacea for all ills as it completely transformed the city’s transport system.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has eased the pressure off roads in the National Capital by removing 90,000 vehicles per day as 20 lakh people commute by the Delhi Metro every day on an average. The stations are air-conditioned and escalators facilitate the movement of commuters and their luggage. The project has garnered many awards and accolades.
However, behind this sparkling picture is a reality gloomier and starker than the Metro’s pitch-black underground tunnels. It is the reality of those Metro workers who toil day and night to ensure its smooth functioning. They are forced to work well beyond the mandated limit of eight hours, but they are neither paid minimum wages nor are they given any facilities that they are entitled to as per labour laws. When TEHELKA talked to contract workers of the Delhi Metro, their miserable plight came to light.
The Delhi Metro has various departments for which the DMRC has hired officers and workers on high wages. But for services such as track construction, distribution of tokens to passengers, assistance in boarding trains and maintenance of stations, the DMRC has outsourced the jobs to private companies. These companies hire contract labourers and this is where the exploitation begins.
On receiving contracts from the DMRC, the private companies hire workers either directly or through contractors. These contractors, in turn, procure workers through sub-contractors. They act as brokers between the workers and the private companies and get paid from both parties. This phenomenon is more common in the selection of construction labourers, sweepers and token counter operators.
Usually, the contractors demand Rs 25,000 from job seekers as a security deposit. “There is no job security even after paying Rs 25,000 to companies and lining the pockets of brokers,” says Mayank, a token counter operator at the Jhandewalan station. “In case we lose our jobs, it is an ordeal to claim the money back.”
Anita, a resident of Nangloi, was hired as a token counter operator last May. Three months later, she was fired without prior notice. When she asked for the security deposit of Rs 25,000, the private company that hired her told her to come back after 10 days. But it took her two months of running around to get it back. Anita is yet to receive her salary for August, for which she has been told to wait.
Sunil Kumar, a social activist working for the rights of Delhi Metro workers, calls it a profit-making tactic of the companies. The reason they give for demanding a security deposit is that if a token counter operator steals money, the loss can be recovered. But it is, in fact, deposited in banks to earn a good interest.
“There are contract workers at other government offices such as railways and the state transport corporation. Why aren’t they asked to pay any security deposit?” asks Kumar.
Contract workers at the Metro fall into three categories. TOM operators issue tokens and passes to commuters; watch-and-ward staff assist passengers maintain discipline while getting on and off trains; and hospitality staff are in charge of keeping the station premises clean.
All three are directly involved in serving the passengers and have a key role in the Delhi Metro’s functioning. But they are upset with their employers. The worst among the lot are the hospitality staff who are forced to work for 12-15 hours per day and are paid just Rs 5,000 a month. They are neither given a weekly off nor extra pay for working overtime. They don’t have fixed duty hours.
As per Delhi government rules, the minimum daily wage for workers is Rs 307 for unskilled labourers, Rs 377 for skilled labourers and Rs 410 for high-skilled labourers. Ironically, the DMRC has put up posters in this regard at Metro stations. The names and contact numbers of the officials concerned are also mentioned in the posters so that workers can approach them with any wage-related grievances. But these posters mean nothing for the workers. They allege that if they demand minimum wages, their working hours are increased or they get fired.
Ajay Swami, a former contract worker, alleges that the private company fired him because he was vocal in his demand for minimum wages, weekly off, bonus and permanent appointment. When he started working in 2009, he was paid Rs 3,900 every month. Later, he came to know that this was less than the minimum wage.
“I wrote a letter to the DMRC officials demanding minimum wages,” he says. “But instead of acting on the complaint, they informed the company that had hired me, after which my employer threatened me with dire consequences. I continued my protest and quietly started a movement to unite all workers. When the company came to know of it, they fired me without any notice.”
Despite losing his job, Swami is actively working for the rights of the contract workers. Uniting Metro workers under the banner of Delhi Metro Rail Kamgaar Union (DMRKU), Swami and his friends are trying to get a workers’ union registered under the same name soon.
The workers have four main demands: minimum wages; bonus and allowances; voluntary leaves; and permanent appointment. Workers complain that sometimes they are made to wait 2-3 months before they are paid salaries. They have brought this to the notice of DMRC officials several times by sending petitions and holding protests.
In May, hundreds of contract workers protested at Jantar Mantar. Commenting on the protest held under the DMRKU banner, union president Praveen says that their chief demand was a raise in the wages of hospitality workers. At present, only TOM operators and watch-and-ward workers are getting minimum wages, he says. Swami claims that tom operators and watch-and-ward workers started getting minimum wages in 2011 only after his union organised a massive protest.
Swami argues that from ticket distribution to cleaning of stations, all jobs assigned to contract workers are of a permanent nature. As long as the Metro is running, these services will be required and so a permanent staff must be appointed. But no steps have been taken in this direction in the past decade. Nor does the future offer any hope, a fact clear from the DMRC’s annual report.
In its 2011-12 annual report, the DMRC waxed eloquent about its future plan: the prime goal was to ensure Metro connectivity all over the city by 2021. However, there was no mention about the appointment of workers, their wages and other rights in the report. Though the labour laws clearly mandate regular appointment for work of a permanent kind, this has not been applied in the case of the Delhi Metro’s contract workers.
Why is the DMRC not interested in increasing wages or appointing permanent staff for the jobs done by contract workers? Is the DMRC in financial trouble?
TEHELKA analysed the DMRC’s annual report in order to find some answers. It turned out that there is no lack of funds. In its 2011-12 report, the DMRC stated that the revenue as on 31 March 2012 was Rs 2,247.77 crore, which was Rs 342.92 crore more than the previous year. Owing to the massive increase in revenue, the DMRC has now started work on the third phase of the project.
So, why is the DMRC relying on private companies instead of directly hiring workers? The contract workers allege that it helps the DMRC in two ways. One, it gets labour on the cheap, and two, it does not have to deal with the problems faced by the workers. Though the allegation is not entirely true, it does make sense because appointing permanent workers would mean more expenditure on providing them additional facilities.
Despite repeated attempts, DMRC officials refused to respond to TEHELKA’s queries. Even in the past, there have been instances in which DMRC officials refused to accept that the contract workers were its employees.
No doubt, the Delhi Metro has made life easier for the city’s residents. It has also provided a speedy option to the commuters. The DMRC is proud of itself and brags about its achievements. Narrating the success story of the Metro, the annual report says, “A motivated, contented and satisfied workforce is the key for the successful achievement of organisational goals.” In other words, a happy workforce is the mantra for success. But the ground reality is totally different.
What is considered the ‘Lifeline of Delhi’ is for its workers nothing more than a disdainful, exploitative undertaking worthy of reproach.
Translated from Tehelka Hindi by Naushin Rehman
pradeep@tehelka.com

(Published in Tehelka Magazine, Volume 11 Issue 3, Dated 18 January 2014)