Commuters had a harrowing time today as thousands of Haryana Roadways workers joined the three-day strike of state employees throwing public transport facility out of gear, despite warning from the government.
"The strike was complete and no state-owned buses plied in the state," Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh General Secretary Subhash Lamba said.
The workers staged demonstrations at workshops and bus depots, he said, adding that the strike remained peaceful.
However, according to reports, police used mild lathi-charge against the protesters at Rohtak, and about 25 of them were taken into custody for defying prohibitory orders.
Adopting a strong stance, the government warned employees of disciplinary proceedings for disrupting transport services.
Transport Minister Aftab Ahmad claimed that the strike had no effect in the state's eight districts, and said the government would take disciplinary action against the protesting employees.
"If the protesting employees do not return to work, the government will employ people on contract to ply the buses," he said, adding that private permits had improved the transport facility in the state.
Haryana Roadways has a fleet of around 4,000 buses with an employees strength of 18,000, officials said.
Reports of complete strike have been received from Ambala, Hisar, Karnal, Yamunanaga, Rohtak and Jind.
Over two lakh employees of the state government, boards and corporations are on the strike demanding abolishment of contractual system and outsourcing of work, even as the state imposed Section 144 to quell the agitation and warned the protesting employees of disciplinary action.
The employees have been pressing for various demands, including abolishment of contractual system and outsourcing of work, filling up of vacancies, regularisation of part-time employees, and cancellation of 3,519 permits to private bus operators.
