Haryana Transport staff plan stir from Sept 5

The Haryana Roadways Workers Union want the government to roll back a plan to supplement the roadways fleet with 700 private buses.

Haryana Roadways employees staged protests across the state on Friday, including the Gurugram bus stand, after a state-level meeting between transport minister Krishan Lal Panwar and representatives from the Haryana Roadways Karamchari Joint Action Committee – held in Chandigarh on Tuesday – failed to reach a compromise on privatising state buses.

Haryana Roadways workers held a protest ahead of Sept 5 strike at Gurugram Bus Depot on Friday. (Yogendra Kumar/HT Photo)

In July, the state transport department decided to supplement Haryana Roadways’ fleet of 4,000 buses with an additional 720 private vehicles. Roadways employees have been protesting against this move, saying it will lead to lower wages for them, and higher fares for passengers. The Joint Action Committee (which represents five Haryana Roadways workers unions) also decided to begin an indefinite strike on September 5.

“We will refuse to resume services until the move to introduce private buses is rolled back,” Sandeep Dalal, a member of Haryana Roadways Workers Union, said.

Beginning next Wednesday, all 4,000 Roadways buses are likely to remain off the streets.

Additional chief secretary for transport in Haryana, Dhanpat Singh, said, “Workers’ unions have all the benefits, but they engage in malpractice and bully the government for their
own gain.”