The strike proposed for August 27 by Punjab government employee unions—demanding the release of Dearness Allowance (DA) and the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, among other issues—is expected to have a widespread impact across the district.
Approximately 7,000 government employees in Amritsar district will go on mass leave. Consequently, operations in government offices will be disrupted. While OPD services in government hospitals will remain suspended, emergency services for patients will continue. Routine work in various departments—including the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office, the Treasury, the Food Supply Department, *Patwarkhanas* (revenue offices), and the RTO office—will be affected as employees take mass leave to join the strike. This may cause inconvenience to people visiting these offices for official business.
Patients in hospitals to face inconvenience
The strike will also impact government health services. Routine OPD services in government hospitals will remain closed; however, emergency services will continue for critically ill patients and those requiring urgent care to ensure essential medical facilities remain available. The closure of OPDs may cause difficulties for patients visiting hospitals for routine treatment and medical tests.
Roadways buses will not operate either
The government employees’ strike is also likely to affect Roadways services. Regular staff from the Amritsar-1 and Amritsar-2 depots will not operate the buses, potentially causing inconvenience to passengers who rely on government bus services. However, rail traffic will remain unaffected.
Markets and private educational institutions to function normally
The impact of the strike will be limited to government departments and services. Markets, private schools and colleges, and other private educational institutions will remain open as usual. Rail traffic will also remain unaffected by the strike. Consequently, private transport and other routine activities are expected to continue without disruption.
