Jalandhar (Gurpreet Singh): Commuters in Jalandhar are expected to face major inconvenience on Tuesday as operations at Punbus and Punjab Roadways depots remain suspended following an indefinite strike by contractual drivers and conductors. The agitation was launched ahead of schedule after employees expressed strong opposition to the government’s decision to introduce privately operated Volvo buses under the kilometer scheme.
Services from Punbus and Roadways Depots 1 and 2 have been severely affected, with employees staging demonstrations inside depot premises instead of reporting for duty. Contractual staff of the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) are also set to join the protest, widening the impact on public transport across the state.
Union representatives said the strike was originally planned for later this month but was advanced after new Volvo buses operated by private entities were flagged off in Chandigarh. According to protesting employees, the move signals increasing privatization of public transport and threatens the future of government-run bus services.
Employee leaders alleged that their repeated appeals to the government over the past year have failed to produce any concrete action. Among their key demands are the regularization of contractual employees, reinstatement of suspended workers, and withdrawal of the kilometer scheme that allows private operators to run buses under the state transport network.
Protesters argue that instead of expanding the government fleet, authorities are encouraging private participation, a decision they believe undermines public sector transport services and employee interests. They maintained that introducing new state-owned buses would have been a more acceptable solution.
The unions have warned that if the government does not respond positively, the agitation will intensify. They have announced plans to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence on June 11 as part of the next phase of their protest.
With transport employees from multiple organizations joining hands, passengers across Punjab are likely to experience disruptions in bus connectivity. Travelers have been advised to check service availability before planning their journeys, as the strike is expected to continue until the government initiates meaningful dialogue with the protesting staff.
