PMPML Drivers' Strike Disrupts Commuters in Pune

Pune: Commuters faced significant disruptions on Monday morning as PMPML employees launched a strike from early dawn, halting buses on 148 routes for three hours.

The strike was initiated to press for various pending demands, including immediate payment of 7th Pay Commission arrears, regularization of substitute daily wage workers, and timely promotions for employees.

The action committee ended the strike after the administration assured that their demands would be addressed by the board of directors.

The action committee, established under the chairmanship of Shiv Sena's Pramod Bhangire, had given notice of the strike along with their demands eight days earlier. However, the administration did not take notice of the letter, and the PMPML employees started an indefinite strike from 3 AM.

The Hadapsar and Nigdi depots were most affected. The shutdown of bus services caused undue hardship to passengers. Consequently, Shiv Sena submitted letters regarding the strike and demands to the Pune District Collector's office, Pune Police Commissionerate, Swargate Police Station, Rural Police Superintendent's office, and PMP administration.

The authority to regularize daily wage workers lies with the Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director Nitin Narvekar. In February this year, the Chairman and Managing Director of PMPML had given a written response promising to regularize the substitute workers, yet the employees have been deprived of regularization.

Thus, the action committee resorted to an indefinite strike. The strike was called off after discussions with the action committee, with assurances that all demands would be presented to the PMPML Board of Directors.

Nitin Narvekar, Deputy Managing Director of PMPML, stated, "The action committee has called off the indefinite strike. All buses from Hadapsar and other depots are operating regularly, and passengers are not facing any inconvenience."