Patna: Patna’s waste management system came under severe strain on Tuesday after around 2,500 drivers associated with the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) stopped operating garbage collection vehicles, demanding payment of pending salaries and arrears.
The strike brought garbage collection operations to a standstill across the state capital, leaving nearly 1,200 tonnes of daily waste uncollected and raising concerns over sanitation and public health.
Waste Collection Stopped Across All Six Municipal Zones
The disruption affected all six municipal zones of Patna — Nutan Rajdhani, Patliputra, Kankarbagh, Bankipur, Azimabad and Patna City.
Door-to-door garbage collection services remained suspended throughout the day. Waste collection through e-rickshaws was also affected as vehicles stayed off the roads.
Municipal yards in all zones witnessed rows of parked garbage vehicles, while drivers remained absent from duty.
Drivers Demand Pending Salary and Arrears
The protesting drivers said they have not received their salary for May. According to them, salaries are usually credited during the first week of every month, but the payment has been delayed this time.
They alleged that the delay has caused financial hardship for hundreds of workers and their families.
Apart from the pending salary, the drivers have also demanded payment of arrears reportedly due for the period between April 2025 and September 2025.
Attendance Policy Also Under Fire
The drivers further alleged that their attendance is not marked on days when vehicles develop technical faults and remain out of service.
They claimed that despite reporting for duty, the existing system results in loss of wages if a vehicle cannot be operated because of mechanical problems.
The workers have sought changes to the attendance mechanism and demanded that such days be counted as duty days.
Strike to Continue Until Demands Are Met
The protesting drivers warned that garbage collection vehicles would remain off the roads until their demands are addressed.
The continued strike has also affected lifting of waste from designated garbage collection points, increasing the risk of waste accumulation in several parts of the city.
Municipal authorities are yet to announce a resolution to the dispute, while residents continue to face disruptions in essential sanitation services.
