Patiala: Members of the Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS, and PRTC Contract Workers' Union held protests at bus depots across the state on International Labour Day to press for their demands. They also announced a series of strikes through May.
Protest Demands
The protesters are demanding the release of detained colleagues and an end to what they call the 'systematic privatisation' of the state's public transport network. Union leaders addressed 'gate rallies' simultaneously across all 27 bus depots in the state and outlined a protest calendar that could severely disrupt bus services.
Protest Calendar
- May 10: Demonstration at the residence of the Punjab transport minister
- May 18: One-day state-wide strike
- May 25-27: Three-day strike
- From May 27: Permanent sit-in outside the chief minister's residence, followed by indefinite suspension of services if demands are not met
Opposition to Kilometre Scheme
The protest centres around the state government's 'Kilometre Scheme', under which private bus operators were inducted into the state fleet and paid on a per-kilometre basis. The workers' union termed the policy 'a backdoor attempt to bring in private buses and dismantle the state-run transport system, enabling private operators to run buses on government-notified routes'.
Previous Violence
In November last year, the standoff turned violent during protests against the opening of tenders under the scheme, with clashes between protesters and police. In Sangrur, a police officer sustained burn injuries after protesters sprinkled petrol on him during a confrontation at the city bus stand. Cases were registered under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for attempt to murder against several persons.
Detained Workers
Those arrested in connection with the November protests remain in jail. Several workers detained in cases registered in Sangrur and Patiala after protests against government policies also remained behind bars for months. The workers' union alleged that the charges were fabricated to suppress dissent and demanded their immediate release as a non-negotiable precondition for any resolution.
Fleet Condition and Financial Issues
PRTC Punbus Contractual Employee Union leader Harkesh Kumar Vicky cited the operational condition of the fleet. He said the PRTC operated around 1,200 buses while Punjab Roadways had about 1,500, and no new buses were added to the PRTC fleet in the last four years. He also said reimbursements for the state government's free travel scheme for women remained significantly in arrears.
'The free travel scheme, reimbursed by government, has been straining the PRTC finances due to payment delays, leaving the cash-strapped corporation struggling to meet operational expenses. Currently, Rs 700 crore of dues are yet to be cleared by government. Police detained 177 protesters last November; several were later released, while others were jailed. After we met with minister Harpal Singh Cheema, we were assured that the jailed protesters would be released. However, 10 of our colleagues are still languishing in jail,' said Vicky.
'Approximately 8,000 contractual employees work across all 27 bus depots in Punjab. Their regularisation has been a core demand for years. Workers serving on contract or outsourcing for 10 to 20 years face uncertainty under the Special Cadre Policy, 2023, which the union contends is being used to push employees toward insecure arrangements rather than permanent absorption,' he added.
