Ranchi: Garment Unit Workers Block Highway Over Unresolved Grievance

Ranchi: Women workers employed at a private company in Pancha, under Ranchi’s Dasham Falls police station area, on Wednesday blocked the Ranchi-Tata National Highway-33, demanding fair wages and the resolution of issues related to working hours and workplace safety.

The protest led to long queues of vehicles on both sides of the highway.

The women workers of the readymade garments manufacturer sought the administration’s intervention and demanded an immediate resolution of their grievances.

They alleged that Labour Department regulations were being openly violated and that the management threatened action against those who raised objections.

The company management had not issued any official response to the allegations at the time the report was filed.

Upset over the management’s alleged approach, the workers took to the streets around 9 a.m. on Wednesday. They sat on the main road near Pancha and raised slogans in support of their demands.

The protesters said their concerns related to wages, working hours and safety had not been addressed. They maintained that their agitation would continue until their demands were met.

The road blockade affected traffic between Ranchi and Jamshedpur. Long queues of vehicles formed on both sides of the highway. This caused inconvenience to local residents and other motorists and delayed commuters in reaching their destinations.

After receiving information about the blockade, police and administrative officials reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. They tried to persuade them to clear the road. The administration also sought to address the workers’ grievances while trying to restore traffic movement.

However, the protesting women remained firm on their demands. At the time of filing this report, talks between the company management and the protesters were continuing, while traffic on the highway remained stalled and was yet to return to normal. The outcome of the talks and the management’s response to the workers’ demands were awaited.

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