Chandigarh, July 1 -- A protest by Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) contractual employees threw traffic into chaos on Monday, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours on key highways connecting Chandigarh, Mohali, Zirakpur and Kharar. The protest, which lasted over four hours, resulted in complete blockade of major entry points to the city, including the Kharar-Mohali stretch and the Chandigarh-Ambala highway. Commuters were left trapped in long traffic jams. The unrest began after protesting employees were allegedly denied entry into the office of the PRTC director in Sector-17, Chandigarh, where they had gone to present their long-pending demands for the regularisation of contractual staff. According to protesters, the police and administration pushed them back and manhandled them, prompting an immediate escalation. Angered by the alleged mistreatment, the employees resorted to blocking highways by parking buses diagonally across roads near Kharar and Zirakpur, effectively choking both sides of traffic. The move, they said, was a last resort to draw attention to their plight. "Despite informing the authorities in advance about our peaceful protest, we were not allowed to meet the director and were mistreated. Left with no option, we blocked the roads to make our voices heard," said Saudagar Ali, vice-president of the PRTC Employees Union. He also highlighted the economic inefficiencies of the department's current model. "Instead of procuring its own buses, the department hires them from private contractors at Rs.20/km, plus Rs.4/km for fuel. This allows contractors to earn Rs.15,000-Rs.20,000 per bus daily. That money could stay with the department, and create jobs for at least seven people per bus," he added. The blockade led to widespread disruption. Amit Kumar, a resident of Phase-1, Mohali, was stranded at the Kharar flyover for hours. "A bus was parked diagonally. Within minutes, the road was jammed in both directions," he said. Vishal Gupta, travelling from Ambala, was similarly stuck at Zirakpur, assuming it was a routine jam until he saw the blockade. Traffic was finally restored in the late evening, but public frustration remained high. Commuters urged the government to resolve the employees' demands swiftly to avoid future disruptions that punish the general public....