Strike called off, buses to be back on roads today
The Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers Union has called off its three-day strike following an assurance of a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on January 15.
The strike began on Monday. Around 7,500 contractual employees participated in it, affecting nearly 2,800 buses. Their main demands include regularisation of job, salary hike and other employment benefits.
In a statement from the Patiala headquarters of the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC), Chairman Ranjodh Singh Hadana confirmed that the strike had been called off. He said all routes would be fully operational on Wednesday.
Dismissing the union’s claims that over 80 per cent services were affected due to the strike, Hadana said under the alternative arrangements made by the PRTC, 60 per cent of buses were operated across Punjab during the strike.
Hadana said buses were operational on all major routes and regular routes, although the frequency of service was affected.
The PRTC fleet comprises 1,150 buses, out of which around 700 remained in operation during the strike. Responding to a query about the financial losses, Hadana said the data was still being compiled.
