Ludhiana: Month on, outsourced transport employees await salaries

According to workers at the Ludhiana bus depot, over 170 outsourced employees from both Punjab Roadways and PRTC (Pepsu Road Transport Corporation) are currently working without pay

Hundreds of outsourced employees, including drivers, conductors and workshop staff responsible for the operation of government-run bus services, have said that they haven’t received their previous month’s salaries. “Besides, the promised 5% salary hike, announced on January 15 following a two-day statewide strike, is yet to be given,” they said.

According to a senior Punjab Roadways official, payment is being processed and it is likely to be released within a week. (HT Photo)

The delayed salaries, which are disbursed by the 20th of each month, have now stretched beyond three weeks, leaving the workers in a financial misery. The pay scale for newly recruited conductors is around ₹12,000 per month, while drivers earn approximately ₹14,000. The experienced conductors and drivers receive comparatively higher wages — ₹19,000 and ₹22,000, respectively.

According to workers at the Ludhiana bus depot, over 170 outsourced employees from both Punjab Roadways and PRTC (Pepsu Road Transport Corporation) are currently working without pay. Shamsher Singh Dhillon, state general secretary of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contractual Workers Union, confirmed that the problem is widespread, affecting workers across the state. “These workers are employed under SS Services Providers, a Patiala-based firm. This is a statewide problem,” Dhillon said.

He further said that the state government, before coming to power, talked about solving every issue of contractual employees, regularising them and curbing the exploitation by contractors. “But now, the state government has now left employees struggling even to receive their salaries,” he said.

Additionally, Harkesh Kumar Vicky, state vice president of the union, provided further details, stating that approximately 2,500 outsourced Punjab Roadways employees are awaiting their salaries across Punjab. While around 70% of the PRTC employees have received their dues, 1,350 individuals remain unpaid.

Gurmail Singh, a Punjab Roadways conductor, said, “We face numerous challenges, including inadequate bus fleets, shortage of spare parts and overcrowded buses. We manage somehow. But how can we manage our expenses without a salary. We have families to feed.”

Similarly, Jagtar Singh, a PRTC workshop employee, blamed the state government’s free travel schemes. “The government’s policies are to blame. They haven’t paid the bills. Eventually, employees like us have to bear the repercussions,” he said.

Ashwani Pathak, manager of SS Services Providers, said, “We operate on a contract basis with both Punjab Roadways and PRTC. Our dues, intended for these outsourced workers’ wages, are currently stuck. Once we receive our payment, we will pay them.”

When contacted, a senior Punjab Roadways official, wishing not to be named, said, “We are facing a severe fund shortage, with nearly ₹350 crore pending from the state government under its free travel scheme (for women passengers). While we have managed to pay the salaries of contractual workers, the wages of outsourced workers are still being processed and will be released within a week.”