Private bus operators' strike hit commuters in Rajasthan ahead of wedding season

Jaipur, Nov 1 (PTI) Commuters were hit as private sleeper buses across Rajasthan remained off the roads on Saturday as operators launched an indefinite strike to protest the transport department’s recent crackdown following the Jaisalmer bus fire tragedy, officials said.

After 21 people were burnt alive when a private bus went up in flames near Jaisalmer on October 14, the Rajasthan transport department launched a statewide crackdown on bus body manufacturers to check violations of safety and assembly standards.

According to some private operators, the suspension of bus services affected thousands of passengers across Rajasthan ahead of the wedding season, leaving many stranded at bus stands and on the highways.

Online ticket bookings have also been halted, with reports indicating that a few buses still operating were charging passengers up to six times the normal fare.

The strike has been called by the All Rajasthan Contract Carriage Bus Operators Association, which accused the transport authorities of taking excessive and arbitrary action against buses operating with design or permit violations.

Officials reportedly issued challans and seized several vehicles, particularly those registered outside the state. However, stage carriage buses did not join the strike.

“The transport department’s action is justified from a safety perspective, so stage carriage buses are not part of the strike,” Kailash Chand Sharma, president of the Private Bus Operators Association, Jaipur, said.

However, Rajendra Sharma, president of the All Rajasthan Contract Carriage Bus Operators Association, claimed that stage carriage operators may join the strike in two days once the wedding rush subsides. Other associations indicated a possible escalation of the strike.

Satyanarayan Sahu, president of the Rajasthan Bus Operators Association, said a broader strike from November 3 is highly likely.

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, meanwhile, urged the state government to hold talks with the agitating operators.

“They should be called for dialogue and heard patiently. This situation could have been avoided with timely communication,” he said, adding that governance requires responsibility and swift action to prevent such disruptions.

The transport department intensified inspections following the recent fatal accidents in Jaisalmer and Manoharpur, which exposed safety violations in several private buses. PTI AG SMV ARI