Commuting through government buses in Punjab might become challenging from tomorrow as employee unions have declared that only as many passengers will be allowed on buses as there are available seats.
This decision comes in response to the controversial ‘Hit and Run law’ implemented by the central government, leading to protests from employees of Punjab Roadways and P.R.T.C. In a demonstration against the government’s unfavorable policies, employees have announced that they will only occupy available seats on buses, as they are unwilling to take any risks under the Hit and Run law.
This development could pose significant challenges for drivers and conductors, and regular commuters on government buses may also face difficulties. In the protest, depot heads Satnam Singh, Shamsher Singh, Gurpreet Singh, and Jagtar Singh expressed their frustration with the Punjab government’s discriminatory policies towards employees, claiming that the government is not addressing their concerns.
They announced plans to stage a protest at the Chief Minister’s residence on Republic Day. Starting from January 23, transport employees will allow only 52 passengers in a bus with 52 seats. On January 23, in Ludhiana, truck unions and workers from Punjab Roadways and P.R.T.C. will also participate in the organized protest.
The Punjab government is incurring substantial losses due to the free bus travel scheme for women. The government has to pay around 350 crores annually to government transport companies, P.R.T.C., and Punjab Roadways in exchange for the free bus scheme. According to sources, the government pays nearly half of the amount in cash for male passengers, while for female passengers, the government pays a daily rent of 20 lakh rupees. The current outstanding amount from transport companies to the government is in the
millions.
