Roadways employees want end to special buses in state

Tribune News Service

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Jalandhar, October 23

Accusing the state government of negligence in acting against special operation buses in the state, the Punbus depot presidents of various districts on Wednesday claimed that state transport bodies failed to initiate any action against illegal bus operators, despite after several complaints.

In annual meeting organised under the banner of Punjab Roadways Schedule Caste Workers Union, permanent workers of Punjab Roadways said the government had made a mockery of the department by offering only 3 per cent DA to workers. Baljit Singh, vice-president, Punjab Roadways Workers Union, said in almost every district, special operation buses were running for the past several years, but the government had turned a blind eye towards it. In addition, due to monopoly of private contractors, buses in the state were running without any timetable, effecting the annual revenue of Punjab Roadways buses.

The protesters demand recuritment of staff, implementation of Supreme Court’s guidelines of equal wages for equal work and the Punjab and Haryana High Court orders regarding the cancellation of driving permit of 12,210 private buses, regularisation of services of contractual workers, loan waiver of Punbus and release of DA to all drivers and conductors and implementation of Old Pension Scheme.