State roadways staff protest over neglect, warn of statewide march

Employees of Haryana Roadways staged a protest on Monday under the banner of the Haryana Roadways Employees Joint Front, submitting a memorandum to the General Manager of Sirsa addressed to the Transport Minister.

Addressing the employees, union leaders said the state government is neglecting the Roadways department. They alleged affordable and safe public transport — preferred by commuters, traders and students — is increasingly being handed over to private operators. While the Transport Minister has promised government buses for every village, electronic buses and kilometre-scheme buses being added to the Roadways fleet are reportedly causing heavy losses to the department while benefiting private parties. Meanwhile, a severe shortage of drivers, conductors and workshop staff is increasing the workload and mental stress on existing employees.

The union said if the government fails to address the problems, Roadways employees across the state will launch a “Justice March” to the Transport Minister’s residence in Ambala Cantt on January 18, 2026.

The employees’ key demands include resolving pay anomalies for drivers, conductors, clerks, storekeepers and cashiers; restoring earned-leave cut letters; filling vacant posts in operations and workshops; confirming 2002 batch drivers with retroactive seniority and old pension benefits; creating new promotion posts such as Depot In-charge for drivers; promoting 2008 batch conductors and 2016 batch drivers who have completed all procedures; and promoting 2018 Group D workshop employees to technical posts outside the common cadre.

The demonstration was led by Rishpal Singh Sandhu, Prithvi Singh Chahar and Surendra Bairagi.