Is strike by private bus operators in Punjab and Chandigarh justified?

By Satinder Bains
On May 16, 2015 all private bus transporters in Punjab went on flash strike against registrtation of case against conductor of a bus owned by Deep Dhillon semior leader of SAD who was booked for molestation of two minor sisters at Muktsar. Now on May 18 the private bus operators plying buses to ferry school children have gone on strike against registration of case of molestation of a girl child against a conductor of private bus hired by a local school.

The private schools in Chandigarh have hired buses and staff from private transporters mainly hailing to Punjab who have political say. Both these incidents are an eye opener in wake of Orbit bus molestation of murder of a girl in Moga. Orbit buses are owned by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. It is known fact that main motive of the private transporters is to make maximum money by giving minimum facilities to passengers. They hire untrained staff at lower salaries and no orientation is done before putting them on duty. In all the three incidents staff was at fault and owners of buses are equally responsible. The question ks that how could state government allow the private transporters to go on strike and no action is taken against them when they paralysed whole state.

The private transporters in Chandigarh have also gone the same way and UT administration is mute spectator. About 55000 children depend on private buses. In this case the school management and transport authorities are hand in glove to brow beat the police for not taking action against guilty conductor.

The transport mafia has shown its strength to the government and they can paralyze the whole system at any time. This right time for administration to find out some solution to the problem. If buses are hired from private transporters the verification of staff shall be done by Chandigarh police which is not done presently. The schools shall be advised to purchase their own buses and hire own staff.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court is hearing a petition in Moga orbit case and it has came to light that against 60:40 ratio of government and private buses. 70 percent private buses are running on Punjab roads. It is now up to judiciary to set the system in place to avoid such unfortunate incidents in future.