Upset over government putting effort to ‘privatize the roadways’, the HR employees strike in Haryana which is to effect over 13 lakh people who travel by the Haryana Roadways (HR). Along with the strike, the movement has put to half over 4,200 buses from 4 pm on Monday. The powerful employees’ bodies have opposed 871 bus permits given to private players for 273 routes in the state, calling it an effort to “privatise the roadways”.
The government employees condemned such move at every place, including in Palwal and Jhajjar.
Senior employee’s leaders have called for a chakka jam strike which would continue until the government withdraw permit from specific private buses. The employees’ body has opposed 871 bus permits given to private businessmen for 273 routes calling it an effort to “privatise the roadways”.
A meeting has been called with the employees’ leader to resolve the issue says Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar.
“I have urged the employees’ leaders not to discontinue bus services till the Tuesday meeting,” Panwar said
“We fail to understand why the government is keen to hand over so many routes to the private players when Haryana Roadways is known as one of the best public undertakings in the country because of its better services. But, the government seems to be in a hurry to benefit few people by giving them bus permits,” charged Subhash Lamba, general secretary of Sarv Karmchari Sangh (SKS), an umbrella organisation of 108 trade unions in Haryana.
“According to the population of the state, there is a need for 10,000 additional buses which may create 60,000 new jobs in the state roadways,” said Lamba.
“At a meeting held between Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and employees’ leaders on March 29, the SKS had opposed the handing over of 273 routes to private players. Then, the government had clarified that they have not notified any policy to give bus routes to private players,” he claimed. “But the additional chief secretary not only notified such policy but also initiated secret efforts to run private buses on many routes,” alleged Lamba.
“When the private bus operators tried to run their buses in Jind by parking them in front of the bus stand, the roadways employees ensured chakka jam of the buses,” said S K S president Dharambir Phaugat.
“The employees decided to go on strike when Dhillon said private bus permits would be given at any cost,” said Phaugat.
