Chandigarh, Nov 13 (IANS): Normal life was affected across Haryana as lakhs of employees of various departments of the state government went on strike Wednesday.

Nearly 3.2 lakh employees of the state, especially of Haryana Roadways, municipal corporations, educational institutions, government departments and some health institutions, are on a two-day strike from Wednesday.

The strike has been called by the Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh.

The unions have put up their respective demands, including wages on central government pattern, regularisation of services of part-time and adhoc staff and policy for recruitment of staff.

The passengers, who were stranded at various bus stands, were the worst affected due to the strike. People had to opt for private taxis, which made a killing by charging exhorbitantly.

"No buses out of the over 3,600-strong fleet of Haryana Roadways left any depot or bus stand," a union leader said.

Over 12 lakh passengers travel by Haryana Roadways buses daily. The round-the-clock Volvo bus services between Chandigarh and New Delhi is quite popular among people.

The Haryana Roadways staff are demanding that the state government drop its move to grant licences for over 3,500 routes to private bus operators in the state.

Work in government offices was affected as well.

The Haryana government, which instructed all senior officers in the districts and various departments to take precautionary measures, had failed to break its deadlock with the unions Tuesday evening.

"All divisional commissioners, range inspector generals and police commissioners as well as deputy commissioners in the state have been asked to take adequate measures to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to the public," a state government spokesman said here.

"They have been asked to take effective steps, including imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC (banning any gathering of five or more people) in the vicinity of important installations and places like bus stands," the spokesman said.