Talks between Haryana govt, roadways union fail

Talks between the Haryana government and the striking roadways employees failed Sunday with the protesters sticking to their demand that the administration withdraw the decision to hire 700 private buses.

Members of the Roadways Employees Union said their strike, which entered the sixth day on Sunday, would continue until their demands are met.

The employees have been on strike since October 16 against the state government's decision to hire 700 buses of private owners. They claim the move is a step towards privatisation of the transport department.

A meeting between the coordination committee of the employees union and senior officials of the Haryana government, including Principal Secretary to Chief Minister R K Khullar and Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) Dhanpat Singh, was held here.

The meeting was convened after Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar appealed to the striking employees to join duty keeping in mind the problems being faced by people during the festive season. Khattar had invited union members to hold talks to resolve the issue.

The unsuccessful five-round meeting went on for over four hours here, union members said.

Balwan Singh, a member of the coordination committee of the Roadways Employees Union, said, The talks with the government have failed as the administration has refused to rollback its decision to introduce 700 private buses.

Representatives of the employees union also demanded cancellation of the tenders issued for 510 private buses.

They alleged that the state government was trying to benefit a private transporter by hiring private buses.

Singh said the government officials had assured them of arranging a meeting with the chief minister.

There are about 19,000 employees in Haryana roadways, which has a fleet of 4,100 buses, in which nearly 12 lakh passengers travel daily.