Roadways staff protest holds up traffic in Mohali, Kharar

Hundreds of contractual and outsource workers of Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC today staged a protest against the state government for ignoring their long-pending demands. They announced a march from the Phase-6 Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) towards Chandigarh as the Assembly session was in progress.

The protesters, around 600 in number, raised slogans against the government and criticised its policies. Commuters complained of traffic jams and rush on main roads of Mohali and Kharar due to chaotic vehicular movement in the day time. At a few places, ambulances were seen stuck in traffic jams.

The police had a tough time managing the protesters as they gathered in large numbers. Barricades were put up to stop protesters from moving towards Chandigarh.

Senior police officials finally called the Transport Department officials for talks with protesters afters which October 8 was fixed as the date of meeting to sort out matter. The protesting employees then cancelled their strike till the next meeting. Union state president Resham Singh Gill said Punjab Chief Minister in a meeting on July 1, 2024, had promised to resolve their seven pending demands within one month by constituting a committee, but after one year no progress was made in this direction.

In the election manifesto, the AAP stated that contractual system would be totally abolished and all pending demands would be resolved, he said. Not a single new bus had been bought by the AAP government in the past three years, he said. “If our demands are not resolved in the October 8 meeting, we will intensify our protests,” Gill said.

Nurses strike at Civil Hospital

Patients and visitors faced inconvenience for the second day today as members of the United Nurses Association today struck work in support of their demands, including restoration of Rs 4,600 grade pay. Their protest demonstration, which began on September 27, in front of the Mohali Civil Hospital gate continued on Monday as well.