The announcement followed a gate rally held today at the Ludhiana Depot, where workers raised slogans against the Punjab government.

Punjab Transport Crisis: 7,200 Buses to Stay Off Road as Unions Call for Feb 11 ‘Chakka Jam’

Commuters across Punjab are set to face major travel disruptions as the PRTC and PUNBUS Contract Workers’ Union has announced a state-wide ‘chakka jam’ on February 11. The union confirmed that approximately 7,200 government buses will remain off the roads for the entire day. Union leaders stated they are informing the public in advance to help travellers avoid inconvenience during the shutdown.

The announcement followed a gate rally held today at the Ludhiana Depot, where workers raised slogans against the Punjab government. According to Parveen Kumar, General Secretary of the PUNBUS-PRTC Contract Workers' Union, the strike is a direct response to the government's failure to address long-standing grievances. 

The union’s primary demands include the regularisation of services for contractual employees and the immediate withdrawal of the "kilometre scheme", which involves engaging corporate houses to operate buses.

The protest is set to escalate if the government remains unresponsive. Kumar said that if their demands are not met following the February 11 strike, workers will gather on February 12 to gherao Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Sangrur. 

The union maintains that they have been demanding job security for years and are firmly opposed to any moves they perceive as a shift toward privatisation through corporate involvement.

Source: The Tribune