On Monday, contract workers at Pepsu Road Transportation Corporation (PRTC) and Punjab Roadways began a three-day walkout, calling for a pay increase and the regularization of their employment. About 2,800 buses were still off the road as a result of the strike, which caused public transit to be interrupted and left passengers stranded at numerous bus stations across Punjab.

According to Resham Singh Gill, president of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contract Workers’ Union, some 8,000 contractual workers are participating in the protest, which is being held at all 27 bus terminals across the state. The workers say they have been forced to take dramatic actions since the state administration has disregarded their long-standing demands.

According to union vice president Harkesh Singh Vicky, job uncertainty and uneven compensation lead to abuse of contractual workers. “Our requests are simple: regularize contract drivers and conductors to guarantee equitable treatment and do away with the salary gap with regular employees. Vicky said that the Transport Department has to invest in new buses and cease contracting out bus operations.

Drivers and conductors are being paid in two different ways. The gap is highlighted by the fact that one group gets Rs 18,000 per month, while another group receives Rs 13,000 and Rs 12,000 for drivers and conductors, respectively, he added.

Tensions increased when a meeting between union leaders and Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar last week failed to address the problems. If their demands are not fulfilled, the demonstrators have threatened to escalate their agitation by marching on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s home on Tuesday.