Employees of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS, and Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) launched the strike on Friday. They claim the scheme favours private operators and threatens thousands of state transport jobs. Union leaders demanded the cancellation of tenders and the regularisation of all contractual employees.

Senior Vice President of the PUNBUS Contract Workers Union, Sandeep Singh, said four leaders—Kulwant Singh, Raminder Singh, Narinder Singh, and Dharminder Singh—remain detained. Until they are released, he warned, the dharna and strike will continue. Protesters also condemned police actions during earlier demonstrations.

In Sangrur, the protest escalated when employees climbed buses and splashed petrol on police personnel. Consequently, the Dhuri Station House Officer suffered burn injuries. Videos of the incident quickly circulated on social media, drawing widespread attention.

Furthermore, commuters are facing severe inconvenience. Women who usually travel free on state-run buses were forced to buy tickets on private buses. Many passengers expressed frustration, highlighting the strike’s impact on daily life.

Support for the protest came from farmer groups, including Sarwan Singh Pandher of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee. He criticised the government for favouring private contractors and urged it to meet employees’ demands.

Overall, the Punjab bus strike reflects growing unrest among state employees. Additionally, it raises concerns about the future of public transport and the livelihoods of thousands dependent on government-run services. The workers’ protests show their determination to protect state transport and demand fair treatment.

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