Bathinda: Contractual and outsourced employees of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and Pepsu Road Transport Corporation called off their four-day strike on Saturday after talks with transport authorities and a cabinet minister, restoring state-run bus services across Punjab.The strike, which began on Oct 21, disrupted inter-district and inter-state services to Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. The union said the strike was postponed only until Oct 29, warning of an indefinite statewide stoppage if the Punjab govt failed to formally implement the agreement.The breakthrough followed a meeting at PRTC headquarters in Patiala chaired by transport-cum-finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema.The union members claimed that under the agreement, outsourced employees will be inducted into direct contractual service, with appointment letters distributed on Oct 26 and 27. PUNBUS executive director has been appointed nodal officer to draft service rules for contractual employees.They said the draft will be considered at a high-level meeting on Oct 29 involving finance and personnel departments. The meeting will decide whether approval should be obtained from Board of Directors or state Cabinet. Home department officials will also formalise the agreed in-principle withdrawal of police cases registered against transport employees during earlier protests.“Drivers and conductors involved in on-duty accidents or previous disciplinary action will remain eligible for inclusion in the regular cadre if they submit self-declarations showing the incidents occurred while on duty,” said union member Harkesh Kumar Vicky.Existing procurement tenders will be increased by 25%, adding about 100 buses to PUNBUS and 96 to PRTC. This includes 100 new mini buses intended to strengthen rural and feeder services.Employees dismissed for minor administrative infractions will be reinstated, while advance-booking staff will be absorbed as conductors or covered under the legislative act, union members said.PRTC has tied up with Indian Oil Corporation Limited to establish commercial fuel outlets on vacant corporation land at its Patiala headquarters, Sirhindi Gate workshop in Patiala and Sangrur workshop. Electronic ticketing machines will also be introduced across PRTC depots after conductor training, following a successful pilot at Patiala depot.
