Bus services run by Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) have resumed across Punjab after contractual and outsourced employees postponed their strike, which had disrupted inter-district and inter-state travel since October 21.

Source: Urban Acres

The agitation has been postponed only until October 29, according to the report. Union members were quoted as warning that an indefinite statewide stoppage could follow if the agreement reached with the government is not formally implemented by that deadline.

The breakthrough followed a meeting at the PRTC headquarters in Patiala chaired by Finance and Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, the report said. According to union members quoted in the report, outsourced employees are to be inducted into direct contractual service, with appointment letters expected to be distributed on October 26 and 27.

In a government statement, Cheema said the Bhagwant Mann government is committed to addressing the contract workers' demands and directed the Transport Department to take immediate, result-oriented action. PUNBUS has scheduled a high-level review meeting on October 29 under Cheema's chairmanship.

Source: 5 Dariya News (Punjab government statement)

According to the government statement, the October 29 meeting will take up finalising rules to regularise PUNBUS contractual workers on the PRTC pattern, the transition of outsourced employees to contractual status under the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Act 2026, and the cancellation of police cases registered against workers during past agitations. Depot managers have been directed to verify eligible outsourced staff and submit compliance reports by October 26.

The strike had kept state-run buses off roads on routes connecting Punjab with Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. On Friday, Hindustan Times had reported that the union had extended the strike indefinitely after talks failed, and a workers' protest near Phase 6 in Mohali had snarled traffic on the Kharar-Chandigarh highway.

Source: Hindustan Times via Inshorts

For passengers, the restoration ends days of disruption on routes used for daily inter-city travel. The next test is October 29, when the proposed appointment letters, service rules and other decisions are due to be taken up at the high-level meeting.