Public transport services affected in Haryana as nationwide strike enters day 2

Chandigarh, March 29

Public transport services were affected in Haryana for the second day on Tuesday, as roadways employees came in support of the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions to protest against the Centre’s alleged wrong policies.

The Haryana Roadways bus services remained suspended as its employees held protests at several depots of the state.

Sarbat Singh Punia, a leader of the joint front of 10 unions of roadways employees, said that the normal bus services will resume from Wednesday morning.

Employees and workers of other departments, including public sector banks and municipal bodies, also joined the nationwide strike for the second day.

Commuters, meanwhile, continued to face inconvenience as public transport services remained affected in Haryana.

Public transport buses were plying normally in neighbouring Punjab, officials said.

However, public dealings at some public sector bank branches were hit in the two states.

Bank unions are protesting against the Centre’s move to privatise two public sector banks as announced in the Budget. They are also demanding an increase in the interest rate on deposits and a reduction in service charges.

A joint forum of central trade unions had given a call for a nationwide strike on March 28 and 29.

Their demands include the scrapping of the labour codes, no privatisation of any form, scrapping of the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP), increased allocation of wages under MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and regularisation of contract workers, among others.

The central trade unions that are part of this joint forum are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.