Strike halts 3,000 public buses in Punjab, commuters bear the brunt
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Nearly 3,000 buses operated by PRTC, Punbus and Punjab Roadways remained off roads on Thursday due to a strike by contract employees, leaving commuters in the lurch.
A week ago, contractual workers demanded the cancellation of the kilometre-scheme tenders being floated for private bus operators and pressing for overdue salary payments and other job-related demands.
The protest was temporarily suspended after govt intervention. However, the workers issued a warning that they would resume their protest beginning Aug 14 if their demands were not met. The employees are also demanding regularisation and addition of new buses to the PRTC and Punbus fleet.
The workers claimed that as per the state govt transport policy of 1986, govt and private buses need to be operated at a 70:30 ratio, a move not being followed.
Around 400 govt buses completed their 15 years of life in the last three years and are non-operating. Nevertheless, the state govt failed to add any new buses to the govt fleet, with only around 800 new buses being added in 2021, they claimed.
The strike caused inconvenience to a number of commuters, especially women who have been provided free travel access in govt buses.
"I had planned to go back home to Rampura Phul due to the long weekend but only private buses are operating and that too are overcrowded.
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On the busy routes, it becomes very difficult for women to travel in the overcrowded bus," said Navjot Kaur, a student from the university in Patiala.
A PRTC employee union leader said that on several routes there are no or very few private buses operating in the state and the suspension of buses on these routes leaves a greater impact. Many commuters found themselves stranded without any way to reach their destinations.
Resham Singh, president, PRTC-Punbus Employee Union, said they have been called for a meeting with govt officials . "If the meeting doen not bring any fruitful results, we may extend our strike," he said.
Members of contractual employees union said that Rs 2.64 crore constitutes PRTC's daily receipt, while Rs 3 crore is that of Punbus.
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