Contractual employees of Punjab Roadways, PRTC go on strike

Chandigarh: Contractual employees of the Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road Transportation Corporation went on a strike Wednesday in support of various demands, including a hike in pay.

The strike left many passengers stranded at various bus stands, including in Fazilka and Ludhiana, in the state.

Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers' Union vice president Baljit Singh said they were protesting against the non-implementation of the promise of a five per cent annual increase in their salaries, besides other demands.

He said around 2,500 buses of Punjab Roadways and the PRTC were off the roads in view of the strike call.

Singh said around 7,000 contractual employees were taking part in the strike and only regular employees of the state-owned transport undertaking have joined work.

Unaware of the strike call passengers faced inconvenience in many parts of the state.

"I have been waiting for a state-owned bus for more than half an hour," said a woman waiting at the Ludhiana bus stand who was headed for Amritsar.

The employees are holding protests at all 27 bus depots in the state.