Chandigarh, October 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab government has initiated steps to address the demands of PUNBUS and PRTC contract workers, with a high-level review meeting scheduled for October 29, Finance and Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Wednesday.
Cheema held a meeting with representatives of the Punjab Roadways PUNBUS/PRTC Contract Workers Union Punjab 25/11 and directed the Transport Department to take immediate action on their demands. Following the meeting, the Punjab State Bus Stand Management Company Limited (PUNBUS) issued instructions to begin the process of examining key issues raised by the union.
The October 29 meeting, to be chaired by Cheema, will focus on finalising rules for regularising PUNBUS contractual workers on the pattern followed by PRTC, reviewing the transition of outsourced PUNBUS employees to contractual engagement under the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Act, 2026, and considering the withdrawal of police cases registered against transport workers during previous agitations.
As part of the preparations, PUNBUS management has directed depot managers across Punjab to expedite verification of outsourced employees who may qualify for contractual engagement under the 2026 Act.
According to the instructions issued to depots, personnel records must be verified in line with guidelines framed by the Department of Personnel. The exercise covers eligible personnel with up to five years of service, based on the May 30, 2026, cut-off date. Depots have been asked to submit detailed compliance reports by October 26, ahead of the ministerial review.
The instructions also warn that delays, negligence or discrepancies in the verification process could lead to departmental action against the officials responsible.
Union representatives Resham Singh Gill, Samsher Singh, Harkesh Kumar, Balwinder Singh Rath, Jatinder Singh and Pardeep Kumar attended the meeting and presented workers’ concerns.
The proposed review is expected to examine the outstanding issues and assess the progress made by the department before decisions are taken on the union’s demands.
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