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Commuters bear the brunt as state-run buses stay off roads in Punjab

By, Jalandhar/ludhiana/bathinda
Jan 07, 2025 08:12 AM IST

Punjab Roadways, Punbus, PRTC Contract Workers’ Union president Resham Singh Gill said around 8,000 contractual employees are participating in the strike and demonstrations are being held at all the 27 bus depots across the state

Passengers had to bear the brunt as contractual employees of the Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road Transportation Corporation began a three-day strike on Monday, leading to around 2,800 state vehicles remaining off roads.

Passengers stranded at the bus stand during the strike in Amritsar on Monday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)
Passengers stranded at the bus stand during the strike in Amritsar on Monday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

Protesters said the strike to press for their demands, including regularisation of jobs, will continue on Tuesday.

Punjab Roadways, Punbus, PRTC Contract Workers’ Union president Resham Singh Gill said around 8,000 contractual employees are participating in the strike and demonstrations are being held at all the 27 bus depots across the state.

To add to the woes, there was an increased load at the bus terminals due to the holiday on account of Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary.

Commuters were left stranded at bus stands across the state.

In Bathinda and adjoining districts of southwest Punjab, private buses were running packed on various routes.

Commuters were seen complaining about the strike. “I have been waiting for a state-owned bus for more than an hour,” said a woman at the Bathinda bus stand.

Commuters hailing cabs to reach railway stations was a common sight at many bus terminals.

According to reports, around 90% of the state-run fleet was off road and 10% being operated by regular employees was catering to passengers.

To minimise the impact of the strike, the state transport department directed managements of state transport undertakings to deploy their regular staff, including those on desk jobs, to do field duties.

The union, representing nearly 8,200 contract and outsourced employees, is demanding the regularisation of jobs, an issue they have been fighting for nearly seven years. Around 90% of the workforce in these organisations are employed on contract.

Will protest outside CM’s Chandigarh house today: Union

Punjab Roadways/PRTC Contractual Employees Union vice-president Harkesh Singh Vicky said they will hold a protest outside chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Chandigarh.

He said they did not get any intimation from the state authorities to initiate talks.

He added that the union held a meeting with state transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar to discuss their demands last Wednesday, but they ended without a resolution.

“Other demands of the employees include a 5% annual salary increase, reinstatement of suspended workers, end to outsourcing recruitment, action against ‘private transport mafia’ operating near bus stands, cessation of employee blacklisting and halting the hiring of private buses under the kilometre scheme,” the union’s vice-president said.

At present, a driver hired on contract earns 18,000 and a contractual conductor gets 17,000 a month, which is significantly lower than regular employees.

Pvt players raise fares: Commuters

Commuters in Ludhiana said that with the state-run buses off roads, private operators had a field day, and they raised the fares by 15 to 20.

Women, who heavily benefit from the state’s free travel scheme, were among the worst-hit groups.

With PTI inputs

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