Thaindian News

Chandigarh, June 8 (IANS) Bus commuters had a tough time in Haryana Wednesday as Haryana Roadways employees went on a day’s strike against the government’s privatisation policy. Around 100 strikers were arrested.

The large fleet of buses had gone off the roads across the state following a strike call by the Haryana Roadways Karamchari Sangharsh Samiti.

Striking employees staged protests in different towns including Rohtak, Sonepat, Jhajjar and Hisar.

Bus services were badly hit in Hisar, Faridabad, Yamunanagar, Rohtak, Sonepat and Jind districts. Police escort was provided to buses in Karnal and Bhiwani districts.

Haryana Transport Minister Om Prakash Jain, however, said the strike had failed.

“The strike failed to make much impact. Bus service remained normal and we had even provided police escort at various places,” he said.

Additional Director General of Police B.S. Sandhu said around 80 people were arrested in Rohtak district and around 20 elsewhere in the state.

Haryana Roadways, which plies buses both within and outside the state, has a fleet of 3,211 vehilces and employs more than 16,000 people.

“We are totally against the privatisation of Haryana Roadways,” union leader Rattan Singh told IANS.

The strike was called against the proposed allotment of 2,700 permits to private bus operators. Union leaders said that instead of privatisation, the government should fill vacant posts in Haryana Roadways.