Hundreds of commuters faced major disruptions on Thursday morning as contractual workers staged a two-hour protest at the Ludhiana bus stand, halting both government and private bus services from 10 am to 12 pm. The demonstration, led by the Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contractual Workers Union, not only brought bus operations to a standstill but also caused severe traffic congestion outside the terminal.
With the workers blocking bus entry, state-owned and private bus operators were forced to park their vehicles on nearby roads, causing confusion and inconvenience for passengers. Stranded travelers were seen wandering with their luggage, struggling to locate their buses in the chaos.
Simranjit Kaur, a passenger traveling to Nawanshahr, expressed her frustration, saying that she was told to catch the bus from outside the premises of the bus stand as buses were picking up passengers from there. However, she found it difficult to figure out where to board amidst the disorder.
Adding to the disruption, some buses traveling from other cities refused to enter the Ludhiana bus stand, leaving passengers stranded mid-journey.
Sukhvinder Singh, a commuter from Kapurthala, said he had boarded a government bus for the Ludhiana bus stand but was asked to get off near Samrala Chowk, as the bus staff refused to proceed further.
The blockade created significant traffic jams on roads surrounding the bus stand, with buses and other vehicles stuck in long queues. Many private buses, unable to enter the terminal, were parked haphazardly on the streets, further worsening congestion. The situation proved particularly distressing for students travelling for their Class 12 practical exams.
{{/usCountry}}The blockade created significant traffic jams on roads surrounding the bus stand, with buses and other vehicles stuck in long queues. Many private buses, unable to enter the terminal, were parked haphazardly on the streets, further worsening congestion. The situation proved particularly distressing for students travelling for their Class 12 practical exams.
{{/usCountry}}Amarpreet Kaur, a student from Shaheed-e-Azam School of Eminence for Girls, said her exam was scheduled at 11 am, and despite leaving home early, she got stuck in traffic and was getting late.
Authorities tried to manage the situation despite receiving little advance notice of the protest.
Assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Jatin Bansal said that the administration usually diverts routes when advance information about religious processions or demonstrations is received. However, in this case, they had to handle the situation within a short span of time.
The Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contractual Workers Union staged the shutdown to push for several long-pending demands. They are seeking the regularisation of contractual and outsourced employees, the addition of new buses to the fleet, the reinstatement of suspended employees, a halt to outsourcing in the transport sector, and an end to private buses operating under the kilometer scheme.
Union leader Praveen Kumar criticised the Punjab government for failing to meet its promises. He said the government came to power promising change but had abandoned the very workers who keep the transport system running. He added that for eight months, officials had stalled their demands with empty meetings and false assurances. Questioning how long the workers were expected to wait, he stated that they were not asking for favours but were demanding what was rightfully theirs.
Earlier, the union had announced a statewide bus stand shutdown on April 1 following a meeting in Jalandhar. A complete strike was also declared from April 7 to 9, but it was called off after a meeting with state transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Thursday.