PUDUCHERRY: Bus services operated by the Puducherry Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) were thrown into disarray on Tuesday following a flash strike by the corporation’s contract employees demanding regularisation of their services.
A total of 258 contract staff—comprising 118 drivers and 140 conductors—abstained from duty. These employees have been serving the corporation since 2015 alongside 227 permanent staff, which includes 123 drivers and 104 conductors.
The striking employees, who operate services on both interstate and local routes to key destinations such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Kumuli, Cuddalore, Nagercoil, Mahe, Tirupati and Tiruvannamalai, are also deployed across various urban and rural areas of Puducherry.
According to sources, the employees have held multiple protests in the past, which were called off after the government assured them of action. However, with no tangible progress made, the workers served a strike notice and commenced their protest on Tuesday morning.
The sudden strike had a severe impact on bus operations. On the Chennai route, only 5 of the scheduled 15 buses were operated, while a mere 8 out of 22 buses plied the Karaikal route. Within Puducherry town, only 5 of the 18 scheduled buses were functional. With just regular employees available and constrained by shift timings, the PRTC struggled to run its full fleet.
Rural regions bore the brunt of the disruption, especially remote villages where PRTC services are the sole mode of public transport. While commuters in urban pockets were able to rely on private services, those in interior areas were left stranded with limited travel options to and from Puducherry.
The agitating employees staged a demonstration in front of the PRTC workhouse located behind the new bus stand, reiterating their demand for immediate regularisation.
Government sources indicated that with the Supreme Court imposing restrictions on the regularisation of contract workers, the administration is examining various legal and administrative angles before making a decision.