Roadways and Punbus services halted in Punjab; passengers left stranded as strike continues—when will the crisis end?

Roadways and Punbus services halted in Punjab; passengers left stranded as strike continues—when will the crisis end?

Employees of Punjab Roadways and Punbus have launched an indefinite strike in support of their demands. Following a call by the Punjab Roadways-PRTC Contract Workers Union, staff at several depots have staged protests, effectively taking a stand against the Bhagwant Mann-led government. After a meeting with the Transport Minister failed to yield a resolution, the employees decided to bring bus operations to a complete standstill. Their key demands include the regularization of contract and outsourced staff, the withdrawal of alleged false cases filed against workers during previous agitations, and the scrapping of the ‘kilometer scheme.’ According to the union, approximately 6,800 Punjab Roadways and Punbus vehicles have been taken off the roads, with nearly 2,400 employees participating in the strike. The impact of the strike is evident in cities like Amritsar, Moga, Ludhiana, and Pathankot. With the disruption of government bus services, passengers are facing significant hardship.