Ludhiana: Punjab Roadways, PRTC contract workers protest over salary delay
Following the strike call, PRTC management disbursed the salary of its workers by Wednesday noon, while the budget for Punjab Roadways contractual employees’ salaries was also released
Contractual workers of Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) staged a protest at the Ludhiana bus depot on Wednesday, voicing anger over the recurring delay in disbursement of their salaries.
The protesting employees said that despite repeated assurances from the transport authorities, they continue to face financial hardships every month as wages are not released on time, making it difficult to manage household expenses and school fees for their children.
In a press statement released on Wednesday, agitating workers under the banner of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers’ Union noted that we had previously announced statewide protests by shutting down bus stands today over the issue of salary delays.
However, following the strike call, PRTC management disbursed the salary of its workers by Wednesday noon, while the budget for Punjab Roadways contractual employees’ salaries was also released. As a result, the union decided to postpone the bus stand shutdown call but still held gate rallies and staged demonstrations against the government at the Ludhiana depot.
Addressing the protest, state general secretary Shamsher Singh Dhillon and state joint secretary Jagtar Singh said that ever since the Aam Aadmi Party government came to power, the condition of the transport department has worsened. They alleged that since 2022, contractual workers have been harassed every month over their salaries release. Despite repeated talks with the transport minister, no permanent solution has been found.
They said it appears that the administration deliberately creates a crisis every month by withholding salaries, forcing workers into strikes and protests. Meanwhile, the additional burden of free travel schemes has fallen directly on employees, with overcrowded buses carrying more than 100 passengers. Yet, the government has failed to release compensation for free travel, leaving the department in a financial crunch. Shortages of tyres, spare parts and other essentials are causing further losses, they added.
Union leaders said this is why the bus stand shutdown was announced. Only after the announcement did officers assure salary payments by Wednesday afternoon for PRTC staff and release the budget for Punjab Roadways workers. “This proves that officers deliberately harass workers every month, creating conditions that push employees towards agitation,” the leaders said.
Depot president Sandeep Singh, secretary Praveen Kumar, assistant secretary Satguru Singh, and meet president Sukhwinder Singh Babbu also addressed the rally. They alleged that the government, which once promised to end the role of contractors, is itself recruiting large numbers of outsourced staff and handing over workers to new contractors, enabling large-scale exploitation. Old contractors, they said, looted crores by making illegal cuts in security deposits, EPF, ESI, welfare funds and salaries, before vanishing yet no action has ever been taken against them.
The union said even complaints submitted to the Punjab chief minister have not led to recovery of workers’ dues or action against defaulting contractors. Issuing a warning to the state government and transport department, union leaders demanded a permanent solution to salary delays, immediate implementation of already accepted demands, and cancellation of tenders inviting private buses under the kilometre scheme. They warned that if their demands are not met, the union would be compelled to bring all bus services across Punjab to a complete halt.
Earlier, in response to the union statewide bus stand shutdown call, PRTC chairman Ranjodh Singh Hadana had assured to disburse their salaries by 11 am on Wednesday.
