Chandigarh :
The one-day ‘chakka jam’ on Tuesday by Haryana Roadways (HR) employees’ unions against the reported opening up of the public transport sector to private players by Manohar Lal Khattar government left over 33 lakh commuters across the state at the mercy of private transporters.

With over 4,000 HR buses off the roads, commuters were a harassed lot with operators of over 1,000 private buses and thousands of maxi-cabs and three-wheelers across the state making a quick buck.

Safety norms were thrown to the winds, with commuters having no option but to use overloaded maxi-cabs, private buses and three-wheelers. However, private transport still fell short of needs of the people, who had a harrowing time in getting conveyance in the sultry weather.

“I have to go Kurukshetra University, but am facing problems due to the strike. I was not aware of this strike earlier,” complained Surinder Kumar, a student from Karnal.
In routine, over 20 lakh commuters across Haryana are at the mercy of unsafe and unreliable transport such as maxi-cabs and three-wheelers daily as HR buses and private buses can cater to the needs of only about 12.5 lakh of the 33 lakh commuters (37.8 per cent).
Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said action would be initiated against the drivers recruited this year who were on probation if they went on strike. If any employee who was on probation joined the strike, his services could be terminated, he added.
The Haryana Government had recently decided to add 650 buses to its fleet of around 4,100 buses by entering into an agreement with private parties on km basis.
Transport unions had been opposing the addition of 650 buses to the HR fleet, arguing that this would open the public transport sector to private players. Today’s ‘chakka jam’ was part of the agitation by unions.
“There is no proposal to privatise roadways services. About 500 buses of the department and 950 buses of cooperative societies are plying smoothly in the state. I am in constant touch with officers and the government is making concerted efforts to ensure that people do not face any inconvenience,” said Panwar.
The Sarv Karamchari Sangh, apex body of state government employees, claimed that the strike was almost complete, with over 4,000 HR buses remaining off the roads.
The unions would organise district-level protests on Thursday if the show-cause notices issued to certain drivers by the Transport Department were not withdrawn by Wednesday, said Subhash Lamba, general secretary of the sangh.
A majority of the HR buses remained off the roads in Karnal, Kaithal, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Sirsa, Fatehabad and Ambala districts. While the strike evoked a poor response in Jhajjar, it the response was a mixed one in Panipat district.
Why the protest 
Transport unions are opposing the addition of 650 buses to the Haryana Roadways fleet, arguing that it will open the public transport sector to private players. The Haryana Government had recently decided to add 650 buses to its fleet of around 4,100 buses by entering into an agreement with private parties on km basis.

The day in numbers 

• Over 4,000 Haryana Roadways buses stay off roads
• Operators of over 1,000 private buses make a killing
• Good day for thousands of maxi-cabs, three-wheelers
• A total of 33 lakh passengers daily commuters in state
• HR buses, private buses cater to 12.5 lakh commuters