Talks between striking contractual employees of Punbus and the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) and minister Harpal Singh Cheema and transport secretary Varun Roojam remained inconclusive in Chandigarh on Wednesday, with unions refusing to call off their indefinite strike until their demands are met.
The strike, which began on the evening of October 20, has disrupted public transport services across Punjab and Chandigarh, leaving commuters struggling to find alternatives. Nearly 2,000 state-run buses have been taken off the roads, affecting services operated by the Punjab Roadways and PRTC.
Around 40% of Punjab Roadways’ fleet of nearly 600 buses remained off the roads, while PRTC’s 1,800 buses stayed off the roads. Only regular employees continued operating select services according to their duty rosters.
According to a government release issued later in the day, Cheema directed the transport department to take immediate, result-oriented action on the legitimate demands of PUNBUS workers, prompting the department to initiate the redressal process.
Following the minister’s directions, the Punjab State Bus Stand Management Company Limited (PUNBUS) has decided to convene a high-level review meeting on October 29 under Cheema’s chairmanship.
The meeting will focus on finalising rules for regularising contractual PUNBUS employees on the pattern of PRTC, reviewing the transition of outsourced employees to contractual status under the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Act, 2026, and examining demands for withdrawing police cases registered against workers during previous agitations.
Ahead of the meeting, PUNBUS management directed depot managers across the state to expedite verification of outsourced employees eligible for contractual engagement. Depots must verify the service records of personnel with up to five years of service, based on the May 30, 2026, cut-off date, and submit compliance reports by October 26. Officials have been warned that delays, negligence or discrepancies could invite departmental action.
PRTC Union president Resham Singh Gill said the strike would continue until the government fulfilled its commitments.
He accused the government of failing to honour its earlier assurance to issue a notification addressing the employees’ demands by October 15.
“The transport minister had given us time until October 15 to issue the notification, but the government failed to do so. Now, we have been given another date, October 29. We will call off the strike only when our demands are met,” Gill said.
The employees are demanding regularisation of around 6,500 contractual workers, direct contractual employment for outsourced staff, abolition of private recruitment agencies and implementation of equal pay for equal work.
They also opposed the expansion of the private kilometre scheme, under which private operators supply buses for specified routes, arguing that it threatens employment opportunities in state transport undertakings. The unions are further seeking unconditional withdrawal of police cases against 30 employees booked during previous protests.
Protests were held at bus stands in Bathinda and adjoining districts, as well as at district headquarters across Punjab. Union leaders are planning demonstrations outside the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and an indefinite dharna near the chief minister’s official residence if the deadlock continues.
