PRTC Employees Postpone May 20 Strike After Meeting With Transport Minister

May 18, 2026

There is relief news for the people of Punjab. The strike of PRTC employees, which was to start in Sangrur on May 20, has been postponed. Several issues were agreed upon during the meeting of the PRTC Contract Employees Union with Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. This claim was made by the head of the meeting.

He stated that this was Cheema’s first meeting. The Personal Department has been asked to provide data to regularize temporary employees. Recruitment will be done for vacant positions. Agreement was also reached on freeing employees imprisoned in Sangrur jail. An application will be submitted by the government soon. He said that the election code of conduct is in effect. In such a case, another meeting will be held on May 30 and 31.

Main demands of PRTC-Panbus contract employees –

Union employees arrested from Patiala and Sangrur during the November 2025 movement should be released immediately. The union alleges that despite an agreement, their colleagues have not been released so far.

Regularization of temporary employees

About 8,200 employees who have been working for a long time on a contract and outsourcing basis should be regularized in the department.

Opposition to the Kilometer Scheme

The tender process issued to hire private buses under the Kilometer Scheme should be completely canceled. Union leaders have made it clear that if no concrete and positive solution to their demands comes out of this high-level meeting with the government, they will be forced to go on a statewide indefinite strike.

1300 Buses and Over 4500 Staff

The headquarters of PRTC is located in Patiala. The corporation currently has a fleet of more than 1,300 buses, which includes ordinary buses, midi buses, and buses contracted under the kilometer scheme. About 4,000 to 4,500 employees work to operate these buses, including approximately 1,022 regular (permanent) employees, while the remaining roughly 75 percent of the staff work on an outsourced or contract basis.

PRTC buses travel around 3.5 lakh kilometers daily on approximately 577 to 600 routes through 9 to 10 main depots spread across Punjab and Chandigarh. This service not only covers Punjab but also connects neighboring states such as Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir.