Patiala, Nov 30 — Contractual employees of Punjab’s state-run road transport corporations ended their three-day strike on Sunday following extensive talks with Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar. The strike had caused widespread disruption to bus services across the state, leaving commuters struggling to reach work, schools, and other destinations.
The six-hour-long meeting in Tarn Taran brought together representatives from Punjab Roadways, Punjab State Bus Stand Management Company Limited (Punbus), and the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) Contract Workers Union. Minister Bhullar assured employees that their key demands would be addressed, including the reinstatement of staff suspended during the protest. He also clarified that the protesting employees would not interfere with the kilometre-based bus scheme, which aims to improve operational efficiency.
Union leaders welcomed the government’s response, highlighting commitments that included the release of detained employees, the reinstatement of dismissed staff, and the addition of 1,000 new buses to the fleet. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier appealed to workers to resume duty and resolve the issues through dialogue.
The strike was initially called to protest the kilometre-based bus scheme, which employees feared could allow private operators to run on government-notified routes, threatening thousands of jobs. The agitation turned tense in Sangrur, where some workers climbed on buses and threw petrol, injuring the Station House Officer of Dhuri police station. Ten protesters were subsequently booked in connection with the incident. With the strike now over, bus services across Punjab have resumed, bringing relief to commuters after three days of disruption.
