Haryana Roadways employees are on strike today. Haryana Roadways buses from all 24 depots will remain off the roads. Employee union are protesting against state government issue of permits to private bus operators. All 4200 buses will remain on roadways workshops or bus stops and won’t ply today.
Haryana Roadways employees have given a one-day ultimatum to the state government to prohibit entry of private buses into depots. In case the government fails to do so, they will hold a ‘chakka jam’ across the state. The government is planning to privatise the roadways, but Haryana government employees are against this decision and want cancellation of permits given to 844 private bus operators to ply buses on same routes.
Haryana Roadways Buses Strike Today
Currently, there are 4,000 buses in the Haryana Roadways fleet and shortage of drivers and conductors. To cater to 2.5 crore population of Haryana, there is need of 16,000 buses. The government should think of adding more buses and improving the services, rather than privatizing the roadways. There is no demand to privatise roadways from the people of Haryana.
The strike will inconvenience thousands of commuters who depend on Haryana Roadways buses for commuting.
The roadways employees had earlier gone on a three-day strike in April. Punia said-“We don’t want to put common people to inconvenience, but people will understand that what we are doing is in everybody’s larger interest”.
Haryana Roadways employees union state executive member meeting was held under the banner of the All Haryana Roadways Workers Joint Action Committee here today. Azad Singh Malik-former president of Haryana Roadways Workers’ Organisation chaired the meeting. To protest against the government for granting permits to private operators, it was decided to gherao Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar’s residence in Madlauda in Panipat on June 18. And if still demands are not met then the union would gherao Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s residence in Karnal on July 9.
June 18-Gherao of Panwar’s residence
To protest against the government for granting permits to private operators, it was decided during a meeting of eight unions of Haryana Roadways employees, to gherao Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar’s residence in Madlauda in Panipat on June 18. And if still demands are not met then the union would gherao Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s residence in Karnal on July 9.