Chandigarh, 10 June (H.S.): The ongoing strike by contract

employees of Punjab Roadways and PUNBUS has significantly disrupted public

transport services across Punjab, causing inconvenience to thousands of

commuters. The employees launched a wheel-jam protest over their pending

demands, leading to the suspension of bus services on several routes across the

state from Wednesday afternoon.

Punjab has nearly 3,000 PRTC buses and around

1,600 PUNBUS buses in operation. These services are run by approximately 5,500

contract employees and 4,500 regular staff members. If contract workers

completely stop working, more than half of the government buses could remain

off the roads. Punjab Roadways and PUNBUS operate an extensive network of

intrastate and interstate routes, providing transportation to nearly 500,000

passengers every day. As a result, the strike has had a direct impact on the

daily lives of lakhs of people.

Employee unions claim that despite several

rounds of talks with the government, no solution has been reached regarding

their demands. They say the strike was launched only after repeated

negotiations failed to yield results. However, the biggest burden of the protest

is being borne by the general public, particularly those who rely on government

buses for daily travel.

The impact is especially severe in rural

areas, where government buses serve as the primary mode of transportation. With

services disrupted, residents are facing difficulties reaching cities and are

being forced to depend on private vehicles and more expensive transport

options.

The timing of the strike has further

compounded public inconvenience. With summer vacations underway, many families

are travelling to tourist destinations, while students are engaged in

admission-related activities for colleges and educational institutions.

Patients and their attendants travelling to major hospitals, including PGI and

other healthcare facilities, are also facing difficulties due to reduced

transport availability. Women who benefit from Punjab’s free bus travel scheme

have been particularly affected and are now compelled to seek alternative means

of transportation.

Apart from affecting commuters, the strike is also expected

to impact government revenue. Punjab Roadways and PUNBUS together generate an

estimated ₹2–3 crore in daily revenue, while PRTC earns around ₹2.5–3 crore per

day. If the complete wheel-jam continues for three days, the state transport

undertakings could suffer direct financial losses ranging between ₹12 crore and

₹15 crore.

PRTC

and PUNBUS Contract Employees Union General Secretary Shamsher Singh said that

meetings with the government were held on May 8, June 2 and June 4 regarding

the employees’ demands, but no concrete outcome emerged. He stated that the

workers were left with no option but to launch the protest and warned that the

agitation would continue until a positive decision is taken on their demands.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH