Public Transport Grinds to a Halt in Punjab
For the third day in a row on Sunday, public transport services across Punjab faced severe disruption. The widespread strike by contractual employees of Punjab Roadways (Punbus) and the Punjab Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) kept the vast majority of buses off the roads, creating a massive commuting crisis.
Commuters Bear the Brunt of the Crisis
The impact was starkly visible at Ludhiana's Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT). The typically bustling boarding areas were deserted, with hopeful passengers waiting endlessly for buses that never came. Only a limited number of buses, operated by regular staff, were seen entering the terminal at long intervals.
One commuter, Sumit, who was travelling with his son to Mohali, shared his frustration. He had already postponed his trip once because of the strike. "Because of the strike, I delayed my visit to Mohali, but today it's the same story. There are no Punjab buses. I will board a CTU bus that came after a long wait," he said.
Many passengers with urgent needs had no choice but to book expensive cabs. Hari Ram, a Ludhiana resident heading to the Post Graduate Institute (PGI) in Chandigarh, explained his predicament: "I cannot afford to wait. I have to take my child to PGI. Even though it costs more, there is no other option."
The strike also affected women who benefit from the state's free travel scheme. Gurpreet Kaur, a daily commuter from Mullanpur, expressed her concern: "Since free travel began, Punbus and PRTC buses were already fewer. Now they are hardly seen. I will have to pay for private buses again."
Union Demands and a Stalled Resolution
As the strike entered its third day, union members continued their protests at various bus depots. Their key demands include the release of arrested workers and leaders, and strong opposition to the kilometre scheme. The union alleges this scheme promotes privatisation by permitting private buses to operate without government-appointed drivers.
Sukhwinder Singh, the vice-president of the Punbus–PRTC Contractual Workers Union in Ludhiana, accused the government of ignoring their pleas. "Instead of listening to our demands, the government opened new tenders for Punbus," he stated. He also alleged that union leaders were picked up from their homes just before the strike began.
The union has put forward several critical demands for a permanent solution:
- Strengthening the government bus fleet, stating that Punjab needs at least 10,000 buses but currently has barely one-fourth of that number operational.
- The regularisation of over 7,000 contractual employees, many of whom have served for 15 to 20 years and have even retired without being made permanent staff.
Singh reiterated that more than 90% of the staff remain contractual despite years of service. "We have been demanding that the government strengthen its own fleet and regularise workers. Many have retired without ever being regularised," he emphasized.
With negotiations at a standstill, commuters fear the transport nightmare will continue, forcing them to either rely on costly private transport or postpone their travel plans indefinitely. The ongoing strike has sharply highlighted the deepening conflict between contractual staff and the state government over job security and the future direction of public transport policy in Punjab.
