Luxury Bus Operators Threaten Indefinite Strike from June 15 Over Police Crackdown in Pune
Pune, 13th June 2025: The Pune District Luxury Bus Association has announced a potential indefinite strike beginning June 15, citing alleged harassment and premature penalisation by city traffic police, despite assurances to the contrary.
According to the association, the city’s traffic authorities have already started taking action against private buses for entering restricted areas during peak hours—well before the agreed date of enforcement. If the strike goes ahead, it could affect nearly 70,000 daily passengers who rely on around 800 private buses operating across Pune district and connecting parts of Maharashtra and nearby states.
“We were clearly told that enforcement of the new entry restrictions would begin after June 15, but our buses are already being fined and forced to leave city limits,” said Balasaheb Khedekar, President of the Pune District Luxury Bus Association. “This is completely unjust. If the situation doesn’t improve, we have no choice but to halt our services from June 15.”
The contention stems from a directive issued by Pune traffic police on June 1, which restricts private buses from entering the city between 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Khedekar explained that the directive was meant to remain open for public feedback for 15 days. “But even before that period is over, enforcement has begun. We will also consult with bus operators in Pimpri Chinchwad to plan our next steps. The administration must address our grievances seriously,” he added.
The private operators have found support in other quarters. Kiran Desai, Working President of the Pune Bus and Car Owners Association, said they too were backing the protest. “There seems to be selective enforcement. State-run buses like MSRTC and PMPML can operate freely at all times, while we are being penalised despite offering a public service,” Desai remarked. “We’ve long demanded designated parking and proper bus stands, but our appeals are continuously ignored. A formal letter has been submitted to the Pune RTO, and we plan to meet officials soon.”
Responding to the allegations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amol Zende clarified the administration’s position. “We’ve held four rounds of talks with the association over the past two months. They were asked to streamline their operations and comply with the traffic guidelines,” Zende said. He added that multiple designated parking areas—at Kharadi Wageshwar (Pune-Ahmednagar Road), Shewalewadi (Pune-Solapur Road), Sangamwadi, and Swargate—have already been provided for luxury buses.
“But despite these facilities, operators continue to halt wherever they choose, disrupting traffic flow. The action was taken only after repeated non-compliance,” he said.
As the deadline looms, tension between authorities and private bus operators is rising, leaving thousands of commuters in a state of uncertainty.
