Even as the ongoing roadways employees’ unions strike entered its 15th day on Tuesday,  sources said that the government is likely to engage in fresh round of talks with the roadways employees to end the deadlock,

The protestors have so far remained adamant on their demands while the State Government is also not budging on its stand.

The roadways employees have been protesting since October 16 against the State Government's decision to run 700 private buses. The employees unions had on Monday announced to extend their strike till November 2.

The stir by the public transport employees has been the longest in the state's history.

Despite the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) being in force, the employees have been on strike since October 16.

The government staffers across various departments in the state also began a two-day strike on Tuesday to express solidarity with agitating state roadways workers,

The employees’ union leaders on Tuesday claimed that their strike had affected normal life heavily, a claim which is rebuffed by the Haryana Government.

“Lakhs of employees from various departments have gone on a two-day strike starting Tuesday. Employees of various state departments, boards, corporations, municipalities and panchayat raj institutions have gone on strike, which has badly affecting the work,” said Subhash Lamba, general secretary of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, Haryana.

He said that power utilities were worst hit department due to the strike. Complaint centres also remained shut. Anganwari, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and mid-day meal workers also participated in the strike, he claimed.

A government spokesperson has however claimed that work in various Haryana Government departments remained normal on Tuesday. As many as 1.22 lakh employees marked their attendance using the biometric systems, the spokesman said.

The State Government had directed its employees to mark their attendance twice on Tuesday to ensure few persons took part in the strike.

To mount pressure on agitating employees to end their strike, Haryana State Transport Department has decided that salary for the period of the strike and unauthorized absence of Haryana Roadways employees from October 16 to date will not be released till further orders. However, salary bill would be prepared and submitted accordingly, the spokesman said.

 It will be the personal responsibility of concerned General Manager and Accounts Officer to ascertain the compliance of the orders, he added.

The spokesman said that 2450 buses plied in the state on Tuesday. Apart from this, 1059 other buses also plied in Haryana.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday reiterated that the state roadways is not being privatised.

While talking to the mediapersons in Kurukshetra, the Chief Minister said that the roadways fleet is being expanded.

“Under the kilometer scheme, drivers would be of the bus owner whereas conductors would be deputed by the state government and the revenue generated would go to the state exchequer. Similarly, the route and time table would be decided by the state roadways. The scheme is completely in favour of employees and it will improve the transportation system,” he said.

There are about 19,000 employees in Haryana Roadways, which has a fleet of more than 4000 buses in which nearly 12 lakh passengers travel daily.