Thousands of commuters to Delhi from Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh are likely to face problems from July 19 to 21 as the Haryana Roadways buses going to the National capital would leave them on the borders and not take them inside the ISBT, Delhi.

The deadlock between State Transport Department of Haryana and Haryana Roadways workers Joint Action Committee continued on Monday as the latter has threatened to leave passengers on the borders of Delhi for three days July 19 to 21 over challans issued by Delhi Traffic Police.

The State Transport Department on Monday warned Haryana Roadways workers, not to take part in a call given by Haryana Roadways Workers Joint Action Committee for not plying Haryana Roadways buses to Delhi.

Director General, State Transport of Haryana Arun Kumar said that to deal with the impending call, special teams have been constituted to keep an eye over the situation and ensure that the buses are plied from July 19 to 21.

However, Sarbat Punia, leader of Haryana roadways workers’ union reiterated that they are ready to face the action of the State Government.

“If they take action against our workers, we would further extend the strike, and it can even go on for an indefinite period,” Punia said.

Haryana Roadways workers had already boycotted Delhi over challans issued by Delhi Traffic Police on June 15 for one day. It caused a lot of harassment to thousands of commuters travelling by State-run Haryana Roadways buses to Delhi.

Haryana Roadways buses refused to enter National capital and had dropped all the passengers at the four main entry points towards Delhi on borders including Kundli (towards Sonepat side), Badarpur (towards Faridabad), Tikri (towards Sirsa) and Siroli (towards Jaipur).

Punia alleged that large number of Delhi Police staff, many of whom belong to Haryana, insist on free travel when they commute by Haryana Roadways buses. When bus conductors ask for tickets, the buses are challaned.

“Most of the bus drivers of these routes are on fixed salary at Rs10,000 per month. Daily 1,000 buses ply on this route and out of 1,000, 100 buses are challaned in a month. One challans costs about Rs1,000 to Rs1,500, and driver or conductor of the bus has to bear the amount of challans, hence they have to pay around half of their salary in challans,” Punia claimed.

Arun Kumar, DG State Transport Department, who had a meeting with general managers of Haryana Roadways on Monday, said that instructions to initiate strict action against such erring employees have already been issued.

“For those drivers and conductors, who had participated in the last call given by Haryana Roadways Workers Joint Action Committee for June 15, it was decided that loss on account of not plying buses to Delhi must be recovered from the driver and conductor of the bus,” added Kumar.

Kumar had earlier rejected the demand that the roadways pay the amount of challans saying any violation of traffic norms is not acceptable by the drivers.