New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has asked the AAP government to increase the pay of the drivers and ancillary staff of buses run under the cluster scheme by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) in accordance with the recent hike in minimum wages.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar observed that the government cannot treat the drivers, provided by concessionaires running the cluster buses, differently from the conductors being supplied by state-run agencies like the DIMTS and the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

"The respondents (government) cannot treat the agencies, who provide the services of the conductors, differentially from the treatment which is being given to the petitioners (concessionaires), who are providing the services of staff drivers and other ancillary staff," the bench said.

It asked the government to make necessary amendments in the concessionaire agreement, with regard to the amount payable in terms of the minimum wage notifications issued this year, and to "consequently increase the wages".

The bench said that the petitioners shall calculate the amount payable and a copy of the calculation sheet be given to the government which "shall effect payment of the amount".

Reportedly, of the over 5,500 public transport buses in the national capital, about 2,000 run under the cluster scheme and the remaining are run by the DTC.

As per the new minimum wages scheme implemented in March, a skilled person ought to receive a pay of Rs 16,182 per month while semi-skilled would get Rs 14,698.