Public transport services across Punjab are likely to be disrupted on Wednesday as contractual employees of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC decided to proceed with a statewide strike over regularisation, recruitment and privatisation.The strike has been called by the Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC Contract Workers Union. (HT File)Union leaders claimed that government buses would remain off the roads across the state and operations at government-run bus stands would also be disrupted.The strike has been called by the Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC Contract Workers Union. While the Punjab Roadways and PUNBUS staffers began the strike on Tuesday afternoon, the PRTC staff are set to join the agitation on Wednesday.Jagtar Singh, joint secretary of the PUNBUS union, said the strike will continue until the government addresses their demands.“Around 60% of Punjab Roadways routes were affected on Tuesday. With PRTC employees joining the strike, government bus services across the state will come to a complete halt. No government bus will operate on any route,” he said.Punjab Roadways operates 18 depots and two sub-depots across the state, while PRTC runs services through nine depots.The protesting workers, in a statement, alleged that even after four years, the state government has failed to induct new buses into the transport fleet.“Not a single contractual employee has been regularised during this period, despite repeated assurances,” the statement said.The union has announced a protest outside the chief minister’s residence in Chandigarh on June 11.“If the government continues to ignore our demands, workers will sit outside the chief minister’s residence and continue the protest indefinitely. We are prepared for a long struggle,” Jagtar added.Transport minister Harpal Singh Cheema could not be reached for comment despite repeated calls and messages. Similarly, Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) managing director Manisha Rana did not respond to repeated calls and messages seeking her comments.