Commuters suffer as govt buses remain of roads in Punjab for Day 3
The disruption in services resulted from an ongoing strike by contractual employees of the state-run transport undertakings.
The union leaders announced that starting Aug 17, a state-level sit-in would commence in front of the residence of the chief minister Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh. They said any significant damage during the strike and sit-in would be the responsibility of officials displaying "dictatorial" behaviour.
On Saturday, protesters also burnt effigies of transport officials. They said they would continue their protest by suspending bus services on August 17 as well. "On Independence Day, a meeting was again held with the transport secretary after which they agreed to some of our demands but no written assurance was given despite our request for one," claimed the union leaders.
The protesting employees are demanding the cancellation of the kilometre-scheme tenders being floated for private bus operators.
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They are also pressing for pending salary payments and other job-related demands.
The shutdown, which began on Aug 14, left the commuters in a lurch as private buses were overcrowded. The protesting union leaders informed that Rs 2.64 crore constitutes the PRTC's daily receipt, while Punbus collects a daily receipt of Rs 3 crore. The strike will cause revenue losses to both PRTC and the Punbus, they said.
The protesters are also demanding regularisation and addition of new buses to the PRTC and Punbus fleets, believing this could enhance revenue instead of paying the owners of the buses enrolled under the kilometre-scheme.
The union leaders claimed that according to the state govt transport policy of 1986, the govt and private buses should operate at a ratio of 70:30. Currently, the buses are operating against this policy. Approximately 400 govt buses completed their 15-year lifespan in the last three years and are non-operational. Yet, the state govt failed to add new buses to its fleet, they said, adding that the last addition – around 800 new buses – was made in 2021.
Harmesh Singh Vicky, general secretary, Punjab Roadways Punbus/PRTC Contract Workers Union Punjab 25/11, said meetings with govt officials had failed several times in the past as officials did not provide any written assurance even as they agreed to some of our demands. "We will start a sit-in protest in front of the CM's residence in Chandigarh from Sunday and the next decision will be announced tomorrow," he added.
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