Chandigarh, December 11:
On December 11, 2024, the Punjab Roadways PUNBUS/PRTC Contract Workers’ Union held a press conference in Chandigarh. Speaking at the event, Chairman Balwinder Singh Rath and District President Resham Singh Gill highlighted that transport department employees work tirelessly to ensure services, even during natural disasters like COVID-19, floods, elections, riots, and political rallies. Despite their efforts, the government has failed to provide permanent solutions to the issues faced by contractual workers, repeatedly issuing new orders instead of resolving long-standing demands.
The union alleged that corruption, transport mafia, and bureaucracy dominate the Punjab government. While other states have regularized contractual workers, the Punjab government has not implemented similar policies despite repeated meetings and presentations of evidence. A committee was formed on July 1 by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to address transport infrastructure issues, but no substantial progress has been made. Around 90% of contractual workers manage the department’s operations and contribute to its profits, but their regularization remains ignored.
State Secretary Shamsher Singh Dhillo, Vice President Baljinder Singh, Jagjeet Singh, and Rohee Ram revealed that over 400 buses in the department are outdated, and the government is not focusing on procuring new ones. Each bus carries over 100 passengers, but the shortage of vehicles has allowed private transport mafias to flourish. Instead of improving the public transport fleet, the government is privatizing services through the kilometer scheme, depriving Punjab’s youth of employment opportunities in the transport sector. The union accused the government and bureaucracy of colluding with corporate entities to loot the state treasury of crores of rupees.
Union leaders demanded that the number of government buses be increased to 10,000 to meet the travel needs of Punjab’s population. They also highlighted frequent accidents due to outdated buses, resulting in losses borne by drivers and conductors. Many conductors have suffered injuries while ensuring passenger safety.
State Cashier Baljeet Singh, Cashier Ramandeep Singh, and Vice President Gurpreet Singh Dhillon pointed out that before coming to power, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann promised to make Punjab corruption-free. However, the transport department has been outsourced, leading to large-scale corruption in recruitment. Complaints about this were submitted to the Chief Secretary of Punjab on December 19, 2022, but no action has been taken so far. The Chief Minister had announced during a legislative session that intermediaries would be eliminated, but instead, the number of contractors in the transport department has increased from one to three or four. Essential benefits like ESI, pensions, and social welfare schemes for employees or their families are being denied, despite multiple complaints to the Chief Minister.
The union warned the government and management that if their demands are not addressed, they will escalate their protest:
- December 18: A gate rally will be held.
- December 22: Demand letters will be submitted to all Punjab MLAs and current ministers.
- January 2: A rally will be organized.
- January 6: A complete strike will be launched.
- January 7: A sit-in protest will begin in front of the Chief Minister’s residence.
If no resolution is reached, the union plans to hold an indefinite protest in Delhi and strongly oppose the government in the upcoming elections. The union held the government and management responsible for any losses incurred during the strikes and protests.
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