The deadlock continued between the Haryana government and roadways employees, who are on a strike for the last nine days, as fresh round of talks failed Wednesday.
The strike would continue, roadways union leaders said after talks failed between the Haryana Roadways union and a high-level government delegation led by Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar.
The Coordination Committee of the roadways union remained adamant that the state government rollback its decision to hire 700 buses of the private owners under kilometre scheme.
After the talks ended here this evening, the Transport minister told PTI that the state government offered to reconsider its decision to run 190 private buses as the tenders were yet to finalised.
During the talks, the union leaders alleged irregularities in the allotment of tenders for the remaining 510 buses.
"We told them that entire process was transparent and there were no irregularities or any attempt made to benefit anyone. Still, the government offered to get the matter investigated by the State Vigilance Bureau.
We told the Union leaders that if their charge about irregularities in the allotment of the tenders for 510 buses is found to be correct in the Vigilance inquiry, then the allotment would be cancelled," he said.
Panwar said the Union leaders, however, remained adamant on their demand and wanted the government to rollback decision to hire entire lot of 700 private buses.
He said they were told the decision would not be reconsidered as the Haryana Cabinet had already decided on this matter and signed agreement to this effect.
Panwar said, "We have already started the process to hire new drivers and conductors. As many as 309 drivers and conductors joined on probation duty today".
He said keeping in view inconvenience being caused to commuters, the government had made alternate arrangements to ply the buses.
Heclaimed that 2,994 buses plied on various routes on Wednesday that included 1,815 roadways buses.
Earlier on October 21, talks between the Haryana government and the roadways employees had failed asthe protesters stuck to their demand on theissue of 700 private buses.
Balwan Sigh, a member of the coordination committee of the Haryana Roadways Employees Union, blamed the government for failure of fresh round of talks held on Wednesday.
"They want to benefit their chosen ones, they are not ready to listen. We went for the talks with an open mind, but they are adamant. The strike will continue tomorrow after which we will chalk out future course of action," he said.
Protesting against the state government's decision to hire 700 private buses for the Haryana Roadways, the state transporter's employees had Monday extended their strike by three days.
Defying ESMA, the employees have been on strike since October 16 against the state government's decision to hire 700 buses from private owners. The employees' union has demanded cancellation of the tenders issued till now for hiring 510 private buses.
There are about 19,000 employees in the Haryana Roadways, having a fleet of 4,100 buses. The roadways cater to 12 lakh passengers daily.
Under the kilometre scheme, the buses would belong to private operators, who will pay salary to drivers, bear diesel and maintenance cost, but the conductors would be appointed by the government and the revenue generated from the tickets would be deposited in the state exchequer, officials had earlier said.
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