PRTC mini-bus operators continue strike

Ravi Chandel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 21

Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) mini-bus operators continued their strike on the second day today.

They blocked the main road and the bus stand for an hour to express their anger against the district administration over ignoring their demands.

The city witnessed huge traffic jam and a number of commuters were at the receiving end.

A number of city residents and commuters alleged that the dispute between the PRTC and private mini-bus operators was going out of control of the district administration.

Gurprasad Singh, a city resident, said, “For the past few months, the city has become a platform for the protesters, due to which we are going through huge problems. The district administration is overlooking the problems of city residents.”

“We are afraid of sending our children to the schools and colleges because these peaceful protests often turn violent. The district administration has to seriously think over the issue,” he added.

Manpreet Kaur, a commuter, said, “I came for my regular check-up at a city hospital but due to the ongoing strike by the PRTC mini-bus operators, we had a tough time.”

“On the other hand, due to the strike by the PRTC operators, a number of private buses were halted at the bus stand. As a result, we had to pay more than double the amount to the auto-rickshaws to reach our home,” she added.

Sukhpreet Kaur, a student, said, “Due to the strike called by the PRTC, a number of students were not able to reach the college. The authorities concerned have to take a strict action and resolve the matter as soon as possible.”

A PRTC employee and convener of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Ram Singh, said, “The district administrator has overlooked our demands as a result of which we had to block the main road along with the bus stand for about an hour.”

“Till the time our demands are not, we will continue the strike. We will block the bus stand on September 28. Moreover, we are not going to ply the mini-buses in the city. We will ply only eight rural connectivity buses,” he added.

Surender Singh, general manager, PRTC, said, “The district administration has to implement the verdict of the Supreme Court in which it is clearly directed that the state transport shall not transfer the permits in favour of any private player in any manner.”

“Moreover, due to the strike, we suffered Rs 1, 80,000 loss in these two days. Many a time, we urge the Municipal Corporation to take back the mini-buses but the civic body hasn’t given any response till date,” he said.

Baltej Singh, president of the Private Mini-Bus Operators Union, said, “We are plying the buses according to the scheduled timetable, which the PRTC operators are not doing.”

“The Supreme Court verdict has to be implemented on all private bus operators, including ordinary buses. Why are they only raising objection over private mini-bus operators,” he added.

Road and Transport Authority (RTA) Udaydeep Singh Sidhu said, “The new policy of the state transport will come on September 29. Till that time, both PRTC and private mini-bus operators have to ply their buses according to the scheduled timetable.”

Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra said, “I have given directions to the authority concerned to resolve the matter of the Rampura incident in which a PRTC driver was beaten up. Moreover, the general manager of the PRTC has to give a written notice to the private bus operators to remove the booths and hawkers from the bus stand. If the private bus operators don’t take any action over it then the administration will take measures.”