Hundreds stranded in state on first day
SEVERAL UNION LEADERS HELD, SERVICES PARTIALLY RESTORED TOWARDS AFTERNOON; AT FEW PLACES COPS DOUBLE UP AS CONDUCTORS
CHANDIGARH : Hundreds of commuters were stranded across Haryana on the first day of the strike of Haryana Roadways employees on Tuesday, even though bus services were restored at several places around afternoon.
Reports from different districts said a large number of commuters were left in lurch due to the strike. However, besides private bus operators, some roadways buses ran, but the same fell inadequate.
There are about 4,100 roadways buses, including 39 Volvo and Mercedes buses, in which over 12 lakh passengers travel daily in Haryana. The strike would continue on Wednesday too, the employees’ union leaders said.
The roadways employees went on strike despite Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) being in force, which prohibits strike by the employees.
They are protesting against the induction of about 700 buses of private operators, which they allege is an attempt to favour some chosen few and a step towards privatisation.
Additional chief secretary (ACS), transport department, Dhanpat Singh, refuted the charges saying the step would benefit department as well as employees. For employees’ strike on September 5, the department had taken action against 164 employees under ESMA and also suspended them.
Singh said that over 60% bus service had been restored towards afternoon though services were hit in Faridabad, Mahendergarh, Hisar, Fatehabad, Ambala, Yamunanagar and Sirsa. “Following complaints of disruption in some district by employees, the police had rounded up some employees and their leaders,” he said.
He said that since a section of conductors had not resumed duty, the drivers alone ran the services on flat fares or police personnel doubled up as conductor on flat fares. “Details of these places and police action was yet not compiled,” he said.
DISTRICT-WISE REPORT
Karnal:hundreds of commuters were inconvenienced in Karnal and adjoining areas because of strike. The passengers, especially school and college students, had to run from pillar to post to catch private buses and cabs to reach their destinations.
“The strike has become a routine affair in the state and the commuters suffer in the conflict between the government and employees,” said Nidhi Sharma, a college student of Karnal. Abhishek, another stranded passenger said, “I had to get a bus for Haridwar but now I am stranded and would have to make alternate arrangement.”
The police personnel were deployed around the bus stand to check the disruption by the striking employees.
HISAR:A large number of commuters could be seen having a tough time throughout the day in Hisar and adjoining districts. The administration deployed police force to maintain law and order condition around the bus stand in Hisar and police also detained some union leaders who were trying to stop the Haryana Roadways buses.
However, the private buses ran on Chandigarh, Delhi, Rohtak, Sirsa, Hansi and other routes.
ROHTAK : Bus services in Rohtak and adjoining districts were partially hit. The strike gave a tough time to commuters though buses on longer routes began plying in the afternoon. For shorter routes, enough private buses deployed by administration ensured people did not have to return home or cancel their plans. The busy Rohtak-delhi route saw a surge in unauthorised taxi service plying in office hours. Students, who depend on roadways bus passes for their daily commute, were too on the receiving end.