Chandigarh, June 10: State transport operations have stabilized following an agreement between striking union workers and Transport Secretary Varun Roojam to halt an indefinite statewide protest. The demonstration, organized under the banner of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers Union (Punjab), had paralyzed major routes after employees reacted to changes in fleet management.
The conflict intensified when the state introduced private Volvo buses under the kilometre scheme for Delhi Airport operations, a move the union viewed as a shift toward privatization. Although contractual staff had planned to strike from June 22 to June 24, leaders shifted the timeline forward to launch an immediate protest on June 9.
“Viewing the move as a step towards privatisation of the state-run transport sector, the union decided to advance its protest and launched an indefinite statewide strike from June 9 instead of waiting until later this month,” Bikram Singh, head of the union in Jalandhar depot 1, stated.
The employees asserted that the sudden implementation of the kilometre scheme occurred despite earlier assurances from officials that worker concerns would be thoroughly evaluated. Union leaders declared that the state should focus resources on strengthening Punbus and PRTC through direct vehicle purchasing and hiring for vacant positions.
Beyond the immediate dispute over private fleet integration, the union maintained its focus on broader workplace matters. These include requests for equal pay provisions, service regularisation for long-term contractual staff, the withdrawal of legal cases from previous demonstrations, and the release of ten union members currently held at the Sangrur depot.
