Commuters across Punjab are likely to face severe inconvenience on Monday as contractual employees of Punjab Roadways and the Punjab Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) launched a statewide strike, disrupting bus services at several depots.The strike has been called by the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers Union over long-pending demands, including regularisation of employees, removal of the outsourcing system and withdrawal of police cases registered against union members during last year’s protests.In a video message released on Jattvibeday evening, union state president Resham Singh Gill said the employees had served strike notices on the government, but no concrete decision had been taken despite repeated meetings.“We have been assured several times that our demands would be addressed. Even during a meeting with the transport management on Thursday, we were given assurances but no notification was issued. As a result, all contractual workers of Punjab Roadways and PRTC joined the strike from Jattvibeday midnight,” Gill said.He added that the union had also planned a hunger strike in Mohali to coincide with the Punjab Assembly session.Gill said a meeting with Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema was scheduled for 10 am on Monday. If the government failed to provide written assurances on the union’s demands, the strike would continue indefinitely and the hunger strike would begin on Tuesday.The union is demanding the regularisation of contractual employees who have been serving the department for 12 years. It has also sought to bring outsourced workers, many of whom have worked for 16 years, under the department’s direct contractual system.Another key demand is the withdrawal of police cases registered against union members following the November protests, when demonstrations against the kilometre scheme turned violent.The strike has affected bus operations at several depots, forcing many passengers particularly students, office-goers and female travellers to look for alternative modes of transport. The full extent of the disruption is expected to become clearer as the day progresses.