Employees who went on strike to protest against the Kilometer Scheme buses are now worried about their jobs. Hundreds of employees have been suspended from their jobs in various districts of Punjab, including dozens from both depots in Jalandhar. The union says that the blockade will continue until their fellow workers in jail are released and their jobs reinstated.
On Tuesday, the fifth day of the strike, passengers’ problems continued unabated. Due to the ongoing talks between the government and the union yielding no positive results, the union did not operate buses. This has forced passengers to endure significant difficulties and hardships. The union says that the government is reneging on its promises and is trying to pressure them. At the bus station, the rush on private buses and buses from other states is making it extremely difficult to find seats. Even finding space to stand on buses arriving from previous stations is a challenge, forcing many passengers to return home from the bus station. Passengers traveling to other states are particularly vulnerable. The limited number of buses arriving from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh is preventing them from meeting passenger demand.
The union says that while several points were agreed upon in a meeting with the departmental minister on Sunday, none were met, leading to the bus strike. They stated that various union employees have been jailed and should be released unconditionally. Furthermore, the possibility of allowing buses to operate could be reached if suspended employees are immediately released. It remains to be seen what the future decision regarding bus operations will be, as the release of union leaders imprisoned under various sections is a major question.
