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Demand Release of Detained Employees and Reinstatement of Suspended Staff
Chandigarh: A day after contractual employees of Punjab’s state-run road transport corporations formally agreed to call off their strike following a meeting with Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, the agitation continued on Monday as workers intensified their demand for the immediate release of arrested employees and reinstatement of those suspended or dismissed during the protests.
The statewide agitation, launched on November 28, was triggered by the government’s decision to float tenders under the kilometre-based bus scheme, which the workers allege is a backdoor attempt to privatise government-notified routes, threatening the job security of thousands of drivers and conductors employed with Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC).
Under the scheme, private operators will lease buses to the state transport department and receive fixed per-kilometre payments. Workers fear this model will gradually replace public-sector employment with private contracts, severely impacting livelihoods across the transport sector.
Talks with Minister Fail to End Protest
On Sunday evening, after nearly six hours of discussions with Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar in Tarn Taran district, union representatives had announced that the strike would be called off following assurances from the government. The minister had stated that the genuine demands of the drivers and conductors would be addressed and that employees suspended during the agitation would be reinstated. He had also assured that protesting staff would not obstruct the kilometre-based bus scheme.
However, in a late-night volte-face, union leaders said the agitation would continue until all detained and arrested employees are released and those suspended or dismissed are formally reinstated.
173 Workers Still in Police Custody
Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC Contract Workers Union leader Resham Singh Gill said that 173 employees remain in police custody at various locations across the state.
“The transport minister assured us that all detained employees would be released, but not a single worker has been freed so far. The strike will be lifted only after our colleagues reach their respective depots safely,” Gill asserted.
Assurances Not Honoured, Say Union Leaders
Union leaders accused the government of going back on its word. Sandeep Singh, senior vice president of the workers’ union in Hoshiarpur, said the assurances given during Sunday’s meeting have not been honoured.
“The promises of reinstatement and release were made in good faith, but the situation on the ground remains unchanged. This is why the agitation is continuing,” he said.
Violence During Protests, SHO Injured
Tensions escalated ahead of the protest on November 28 when several union leaders were detained, triggering clashes at multiple locations. In Sangrur, the situation turned violent when some workers climbed atop buses and allegedly splashed petrol on police personnel attempting to bring them down.
The SHO of Dhuri police station sustained burn injuries after his uniform caught fire during the confrontation. Police later booked 10 protesters in connection with the incident.
Bus Services Disrupted for Fourth Consecutive Day
Meanwhile, bus services of the state-owned transport undertakings remained severely affected in many parts of Punjab for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, causing widespread inconvenience to daily commuters, students and office-goers. Several long-route and inter-district services were either suspended or operating partially amid the ongoing uncertainty.
Despite the government’s attempts to restore normalcy, the standoff shows no immediate signs of resolution as workers remain firm on their twin demands—release of detained employees and reinstatement of suspended staff—before calling off their agitation.
