Punjab Bus Strike Today: Over 3,000 Government Buses Hit the Roads Blockade as Workers Launch Indefinite Protest

Chandigarh: Difficulties for passengers travelling in government buses may increase in Punjab from Wednesday. Contract and outsourced employees of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) have started an indefinite strike demanding their demands. The movement of employees is reported to have affected the operation of more than 3,000 government buses in the state. This is likely to affect local and interstate bus services. The union has made it clear that the agitation will continue until the government issues a written notification regarding their demands. Due to the strike of employees, working people, students and passengers travelling by bus daily may have to face problems.

Will government bus services come to a complete halt in Punjab?

According to the Contract Workers Union of Punjab Roadways and PRTC, the drivers had started refusing to run night-stay bus services since Tuesday afternoon. Many buses were parked back in the depot.

The union has warned that the operation of government buses will be stopped from the first shift on Wednesday morning. It has been decided not to take the buses out of the depot until the demands of the employees are met. However, the actual impact on bus services may vary depending on individual depots and routes. Passengers should get information from the concerned bus depot before setting out on the journey.

Which states and passengers will be most affected by the strike?

The impact of the strike by roadways employees is not likely to be limited to Punjab only. Interstate bus services from Punjab to Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh may also be affected.

Its biggest impact may be on employees going to work daily, college and school students and daily wage labourers. Apart from this, women who avail the facility of free travel in government buses may also have to resort to alternative transport.

Due to disruption in bus operations, passengers may have to use private buses, taxis or other means of transport. This may also increase the cost of travel.

Why are the roadway employees on strike?

According to the union's state president Resham Singh Gill and general secretary Shamsher Singh Dhillon, despite more than 70 rounds of talks between the employees and the administration, no concrete result was achieved. After this the employees decided to go on indefinite strike.

The main demand of the employees is the regularisation of services of drivers, conductors and workshop mechanics working under contract and outsourcing arrangements. The union wants that the employees should be given permanent job security by amending the service rules of the department.

Apart from this, a demand has also been raised to bring outsourced employees directly under the contract of the department and end the system of middlemen agencies recruiting them.

What other demands have the employees placed before the government?

Apart from job regularisation, the union has demanded unconditional withdrawal of police FIRs registered against transport employees during previous protests. Union leaders say that the assembly session is going on in Punjab. In such a situation, the government should soon take a decision on the proposal related to amendment in service rules.

According to the employees, the government has earlier been citing the absence of assembly session. Now, with the session underway, the union wants the state cabinet to approve the draft amendment and complete the necessary legal process.

Will the indefinite strike continue till the government's decision?

The union has made it clear that the agitation will not be withdrawn merely by talks or assurances. The employees are demanding that the government issue a written notification accepting their demands.

At present, passengers are keeping an eye on the talks between the government and the union regarding the strike. If no solution is found soon, people's problems regarding government bus services in Punjab may increase further.