Residents, particularly those in the villages of Mohali, had a tough time commuting since the only options left were overcrowded mini buses and hard-to-find autos, who also charged the earth.

Geetanjali, who works in a factory in Mohali, described to Newsline how difficult it was for her to travel on Wednesday.

“The worst part was that commuters had no inkling there would be no bus service today. We came to know only after we reached the stands. The auto drivers were charging whatever they felt like,” she said.

On the other hand, this sudden decision has unnerved the Punjab state which did not foresee the strike would continue.

With no back-up plan, they could offer only a thin fleet as an alternative to CTU buses.

A senior official from Transport Punjab also said CTU members in Chandigarh were not allowing Punjab roadways buses to enter the city, therefore, compounding to the problems already faced by passengers.

A middle path is being thought up so that services between the two states can start soonest.

Why is CTU angry

On November 22, 2007, the Punjab Government issued a notification by which they increased the road tax for CTU buses from Rs 2.25 to Rs 5 per kilometre. At the same time, it reduced the tax of its own buses by 50 paisa per kilometre. The CTU’s resentment stems from the fact that it has not been considered at par with Punjab roadways. Meanwhile, they will also have to pay the interstate road tax of Rs 3.74 per km.

What they said