Jaipur: Private sleeper bus operators in Rajasthan began an indefinite strike at Friday midnight, halting nearly 8,000 services in Jaipur and around 12,000 across the state and disrupting long-haul travel. The protesting operators have demanded that the govt stop inspection drives and open talks on standard safety features.As a result of the disruption, passengers were forced to use truncated services on Lok Parivahan buses or take trains. In response to increased demand, RSRTC deployed additional services on select routes to assist stranded travellers.“I was booked on a Jaipur-Jaisalmer sleeper bus on Saturday night. I cancelled the ticket and took a bus to Nagaur from Sindhi Camp on Saturday morning. From there, I took another bus to reach Jaisalmer on Saturday evening,” said Daulat Ram, a Jaisalmer resident visiting Jaipur on business.The All-Rajasthan Contract Carriage Bus Operators Association has stopped deployment of sleeper buses to protest the govt drive against unauthorised modifications of buses. Other bodies, including Sreenath Private Bus Owners’ Society, Bus Operators Society Rajasthan and Private Bus Operators Association, did not support the strike.“Only sleeper buses are not operating. Most operators who have not supported the strike are not sleeper coach owners. As per the Motor Vehicles Act, contract buses cannot run on regular routes,” said Kailash Chand Sharma, president of the Private Bus Operators Association.
Sleeper bus strike disrupts long-distance travel plans | Jaipur News
