With the indefinite strike by the contractual staff of Punjab Roadways/Punjab Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) entering its second day on Tuesday, the passengers faced a harrowing time at the Amar Shaheed Sukhdev Interstate Bus Terminal as services were hit at large.
Though private buses continued to operate, a large number of passengers were seen waiting at the stand as around 200 government-run buses remained off road amid the strike.
Women passengers, who avail free travel facility in government-run buses, were a harried lot as they had to pay for travel in private buses.
Waiting for a bus to Jalandhar, one Daljit Kaur said, “Employees should not harass the public during their protest and bus services should not be disturbed. I came to meet my relatives in the city and had to spend ₹180 on travel, which could have been for free on a normal day.”
District president of Punjab Roadways/Punbus contractual employees union, Shamsher Singh, said, “The indefinite strike will continue till the contractual staff is not regularised by the government. The state department has scheduled a meeting with the representatives of the employees union on Wednesday and further decisions regarding the agitation will be taken after the meeting.”
Bus stand station supervisor Kuljit Singh Sodhi said that around 25 buses were operated on different routes by the department by deputing regular staff, but the majority of them remained off road due to the strike by contractual staff. Meetings are being held at state level to resolve the issue, he added.
{{/usCountry}}Bus stand station supervisor Kuljit Singh Sodhi said that around 25 buses were operated on different routes by the department by deputing regular staff, but the majority of them remained off road due to the strike by contractual staff. Meetings are being held at state level to resolve the issue, he added.
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