Haryana Roadways Employees Union Protests Government Decision to Issue Private Bus Permits

NCR Desk, Delhi Magazine – On Tuesday, Haryana Roadways employees, under the banner of Sanjha Morcha, staged a demonstration at the Gohana depot to protest the government’s decision to issue permits to 3,658 private buses on 262 routes. The employees expressed their anger and demanded the immediate withdrawal of this policy, which they claim undermines the state-run Roadways department.

Union leaders warned that if the government does not retract its decision, Roadways employees across all depots and sub-depots in the state will march to the Transport Minister’s residence in Ambala city on July 14. They threatened a larger movement if their demands are not met. The union accused the government of reneging on its promises by granting private permits while calling for talks with the employees.

“The government is breaking its promise with Roadways employees. Our demand is to add new buses to the Roadways fleet instead of issuing private permits,” said a union leader.

For several days, the employees have been advocating for the addition of government buses through public and panchayat support and signature campaigns. They argued that private buses do not offer the same facilities as government buses, which leads to numerous complaints from passengers, including girls and the elderly. Despite these complaints, no action has been taken.

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Roadways employees highlighted that government buses contribute significantly more tax revenue than private permit holders’ buses. Additionally, they pointed out that increasing the number of government buses would create employment opportunities for unemployed youth, whereas private permits result in lower salaries for workers.

The Sanjha Morcha reiterated their demand for the immediate withdrawal of the private permit policy, which they claim is being imposed without the demand of the public or employees. They warned that failure to address their concerns would result in statewide road blockades.

This protest marks a critical moment in the ongoing dispute between Haryana Roadways employees and the government over the privatization of bus routes, reflecting broader tensions over public sector employment and service quality.