Gurpreet Singh :- Contract employees of Punjab Roadways’ Panbus and PRTC have once again announced an intensified agitation against the state government, declaring a series of protests to press for their long-pending demands. As part of the renewed movement, workers will stage gate rallies outside bus depots across Punjab on March 6. In addition, eleven employees have decided to begin a daily hunger strike from Monday, observing the protest from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Union representatives alleged that several workers were earlier picked up from their homes and detained by the police. They claimed that when the strike was launched, some employees were sent to jail, while a few are still lodged in Sangrur jail under serious charges, including Section 307. The union leaders stated that fresh demonstrations have become necessary to secure the release of those workers and to highlight their grievances.
The protesting employees also criticized the government for failing to act on earlier assurances regarding the regulation of private buses and the strengthening of the public transport fleet. According to union members, despite repeated promises, new buses have not been inducted into the state-run transport system. Instead, they alleged that private operators are being encouraged under the kilometre scheme, which they claim benefits corporate players at the expense of the public exchequer. They pointed out that while a new bus costs around ₹33–34 lakh, private operators can earn several crores from government funds within a few years under the scheme.
Union leader Resham Singh further alleged that during major protests or programmes, authorities either detain union leaders or place them under house arrest to prevent demonstrations. The workers also accused the government of failing to address issues related to outsourcing recruitment, claiming that employees hired through contractors are not receiving statutory benefits such as EPF. They alleged that despite raising the matter with the Chief Minister and holding meetings with officials, no concrete action has been taken.
The employees also raised concerns about alleged corruption in outsourcing-based recruitment, claiming that large sums of money are being demanded from job seekers. According to the union, some recruits were allegedly asked to pay up to ₹1.7 lakh for appointments. They also recalled that during earlier negotiations, the government had promised the addition of hundreds of buses to the state fleet, but those commitments have yet to be fulfilled.
The union further criticized the ongoing debate over the colour and design of kilometre-scheme buses, saying that the primary concern should be the quality and expansion of the public transport system rather than cosmetic changes. They also referred to past decisions regarding bus body installations during previous administrations and questioned the current plan to purchase buses with body fittings, raising concerns about quality standards.
Meanwhile, the employees pointed out that thousands of bus permits have been cancelled over the years, leaving only a limited number of government-run buses operational in the state. They demanded that the upcoming Punjab budget allocate adequate funds for purchasing new buses and strengthening the public transport network. The union also urged the government to increase financial provisions to support welfare schemes such as free bus travel, stating that the current allocations are insufficient to sustain the system.
With protests now set to intensify, the Panbus–PRTC contract workers have warned that if their demands remain unaddressed, they will expand their agitation across the state in the coming days.
