Uttarakhand Roadways Employees Union Launches Indefinite Strike, Disrupting Bus Services Ahead of Diwali

Overview

Public transport across Uttarakhand was severely disrupted on Friday when the Uttaranchal Roadways Employees’ Union (UREU) announced an indefinite work boycott. The strike followed a breakdown of talks with Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC) management.

Key Events

• Date of Strike: Friday, 15 November 2023
• Trigger: Failure of negotiations on equal pay, job regularisation, timely salary disbursements, and hikes in dearness allowance and honorariums.
• Impact: Long‑distance routes to Jaipur and Delhi were halted; regional services to Nainital, Tanakpur, and Haridwar were cancelled.

Government Response

• Transport Minister Pradeep Batra convened a high‑level meeting on Saturday at his residence in Yamuna Colony, Dehradun.
• UTC General Manager (Technical) Bhupesh Anand Kushwaha invited representatives from the roadways employees’ joint council to a 3 pm meeting.
• UTC Managing Director Reena Joshi issued directives to regional managers, warning against unauthorized leave and threatening strict action against any employee who disrupts operations.

Practical Implications

• Commuters travelling for Diwali celebrations faced significant inconvenience.
• The strike threatens to delay the start of the festive season’s transport services.
• Verification can be done by checking UTC’s official notices and monitoring the scheduled meeting at Yamuna Colony.

Conclusion

The indefinite strike by UREU has created an operational crisis for UTC buses. The government’s intervention aims to resolve the stalemate before the Diwali rush, but the outcome remains uncertain.