Ludhiana | Contractual workers lift roadblock after 26 hours

The contractual staff, who were protesting under the banner of the ‘Theka Karamchari Sangharsh Morcha’ did not allow any vehicle to pass the area for 24 hours, inconveniencing commuters.

Twenty-six hours after contractual workers, seeking regularisation, laid siege to the national highway near Khanna, the blockade was finally lifted after receiving assurances from Cabinet minister Gurkirat Singh Kotli on Saturday.

Contractual employees of 11 different departments had participated in the protest near village Bhattian. Earlier, too, the police officials had tried to pacify the protestors, but in vain. (Representative Image/ HT File)

The contractual staff, who were protesting under the banner of the ‘Theka Karamchari Sangharsh Morcha’ did not allow any vehicle to pass the area for 24 hours, inconveniencing commuters. Police have diverted the traffic from Mandi Gobindgarh and Doraha to other roads to avoid traffic jams.

Meeting the contractual workers, who along with their family members, including women and children, had been protesting in the extreme cold and fog, Kotli said he will fix a meeting of their representatives with chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi at the Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh on Sunday.

Contractual employees of 11 different departments had participated in the protest near village Bhattian. Earlier, too, the police officials had tried to pacify the protestors, but in vain. Contractual workers’ leaders Varinder Singh Momi, Jagrup Singh and Gurwinder Singh Pannu said a further course of action would be decided after meeting the chief minister.