Punjab Employees’ strike disrupts bus services, Govt work across state
Ferozepur, October 21, 2026: Public transport and government services were hit across Punjab on Wednesday as employee organisations launched a state-wide strike and protests over their long-pending demands.
The strike saw participation from government teachers, employees of various government departments, and contractual workers of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC. According to information available, around 7,500 transport employees joined the strike, keeping nearly 2,700 buses off the roads across the state.
The disruption caused considerable inconvenience to daily commuters, particularly those dependent on government buses to travel to workplaces, schools, colleges and other destinations. With a large number of buses remaining off the roads, passengers were forced to look for alternative modes of transport.
Employee organisations alleged that despite repeated assurances from the Punjab government, several important demands of employees and pensioners had remained unresolved. They said the strike and protests had been necessitated by the government's failure to address their issues despite repeated representations.
Transport employees have announced an indefinite strike, stating that their agitation will continue until concrete decisions are taken on their demands.
Meanwhile, a meeting between the Transport Minister and union leaders has been scheduled for Wednesday. Employees are hopeful that the talks will lead to a concrete solution. However, in case the meeting fails to produce a satisfactory outcome, the strike is likely to continue, potentially causing further disruption to public transport in the coming days.
Government school teachers have also been called upon to take mass leave on October 21 and participate in protests. Teacher organisations said the demands of employees and pensioners had been pending for a long time and urged the government to take concrete steps to resolve them.
The statewide agitation has also affected government functioning and public services. The non-operation of nearly 2,700 buses has particularly affected passengers who rely heavily on public transport for their daily travel.
All eyes are now on the outcome of the proposed talks between the Punjab government and employee organisations. The key question is whether the government will succeed in resolving the employees’ demands and bringing the strike to an end, or whether the agitation will continue in the days ahead.