Staff threaten to intensify stir over poor facilities at bus stand

Our Correspondent

Malerkotla, August 1
Employees of government and private buses entering the local bus stand have threatened to intensify their stir if their long-standing demands about facilities at the bus stand are not accepted and implemented without further delay.
The ultimatum was given during the concluding session of a rally held at the bus stop to protest the inaction of the authorities towards incidents of theft.
A bus conductor was drugged and robbed of cash, tickets and valuables on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. The major demands of the protesters are the construction of a boundary wall, the installation of CCTV cameras, construction of a restroom, adequate sitting arrangements, the provision of civic amenities and a ban on the entry of private vehicles.
Drivers and conductors of public transport buses, led by the general secretary of the PRTC Contract Workers’ Union, Sukhjinder Singh, alleged that the Malerkotla Municipal Council had failed to ensure the comfort, safety and security of staff deputed on buses parked overnight at the bus stand, even after collecting a fee in this regard. He said a coordinated and intensified agitation would be launched if the administration failed to get the demands accepted, as assured by the SDM, Malerkotla.
The SHO, City 1, Surinder Kumar Bhalla, later arranged the protesters’ meeting with the SDM, which was also attended by senior officials of the municipal council. The officials assured the protesters that necessary arrangements would be made for their safety.