Panjab Bus Workers Strike Over Jobs, Finances & Corruption

From 6-8 Jan, nearly 2.7K of the 3K govt. buses operated by Punjab Roadways, Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), and Punjab State Bus Stand Management Company Limited (PUNBUS) remained off the roads as their Contract Workers Union began a three-day strike to demand the regularisation of contract jobs. The union says about 90% of employees in PUNBUS and PRTC are on contractual terms and accused the govt. of ignoring their appeals. PRTC president Resham Singh Gill and state secretary Shamsher Singh Dhillon, highlighted that workers served uninterruptedly during the pandemic, floods, elections, and political rallies, yet have been denied core benefits such as ‘equal work, equal pay.’ They also alleged illegal salary deductions. Additionally, the implementation of the election promise on ‘free bus travel for women’ is now being questioned. According to the Department of Transport, Panjab, over 300K women use the service daily, with nearly 110M beneficiaries in 2023-24. However, it has caused significant strains on the state exchequer. Those who favor the scheme argue that with more women stepping out to work there is greater economic activity which would contribute to a rise in the economy in the medium and long term. Meanwhile, Chandigarh Transport Undertaking has come under scrutiny following a Comptroller and Auditor General audit that highlights multiple financial lapses during 2023-24, including vacant shops at the city’s two key bus terminals. According to the report, 11 shops in Sector 17 and eight in Sector 43 remained unoccupied, causing an estimated revenue loss of USD 148K. Amid this, India’s Enforcement Directorate has broadened its probe into the USD 233M transportation tender scam, initially tied to the previous INC govt. in Panjab, by now scrutinizing payments made during the first year of the AAP govt.