Employees of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS, and PRTC have gone on strike in protest against the government’s kilometer scheme. This afternoon, a demonstration will be held outside the residence of PRTC Chairman Ranjit Hadna in Patiala. Roadways Union leader Resham Singh said that an online meeting is still underway and no final decision has been taken yet.
The union has warned that if the government does not cancel the tender, they will take action as per the decision of the federation. However, buses have not been stopped anywhere so far
Impact across cities: Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana
At Chandigarh’s Sector-43 depot, several drivers have already halted buses. In Jalandhar, the strike has been deferred for now, while in Amritsar, protests are underway but buses are still operating.
In Ludhiana, the situation is similar. Employees have started protesting; some drivers have stopped buses already, while others have announced that they will stop after the meeting concludes.
Contract Workers Union leader Shamsher Singh said that from tomorrow, workers will protest outside the Chief Minister’s official residence. Contract employees from different districts will gather at Chandigarh’s Sector 2 for the demonstration.
Why the unions are protesting
The Contract Workers Union is protesting against the government’s kilometer scheme. They claim that opening tenders for private buses will cause losses to the state exchequer. The union is also demanding the regularization of contractual employees.
The strategy for the strike
Employees have decided to completely halt Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS, and PRTC buses from 12 pm onward. All depot committees have been instructed to stay present at the depots. The union stated that if talks with the government do not progress positively, the sit-in will be held outside the residences of the PRTC Chairman and MD, as well as the head office.
PRTC buses operate on 577 routes, covering 3.55 lakh (355,000) kilometers daily, and the corporation has 3,065 employees. The strike is expected to have a widespread impact.
CM residence gherao planned for November 18
The union has warned that if the situation continues, employees will reach Chandigarh on November 18 and stage a permanent sit-in outside the Chief Minister’s residence. All depot committees have been asked to arrive with full preparation.
Government has twice postponed tender opening
The Punjab government has already postponed the tender opening twice in the past. The tenders were scheduled to open a day before Raksha Bandhan. As soon as the clock struck 12 noon, PRTC buses across Punjab stopped, leaving passengers stranded at bus stands. The government then postponed the tender date.
Later, during the Tarn Taran by-election, the government had planned to open the tenders on October 23. But once again, buses stopped, and the government immediately issued a letter postponing the date. Now, the tenders are scheduled to be opened today.
PRTC bus network spans multiple states
PRTC buses currently run on 577 routes connecting Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. Every day, PRTC buses cover about 355,827 kilometers. The corporation employs 3,065 workers 1,310 regular and 1,755 contractual (outsourced) employees.