No salary for two months, MSRTC staff take to setting up small side businesses for survival

Staff at Sukurwadi bus station in Borivli;

With a delay in salary disbursal for over two months, employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), one of India's biggest bus fleets, have taken desperate measures to provide for their families. Some have a side hustle, many have written to the government to include them in BPL (Below Poverty Line) category, while there are others who have taken to social media to mark their protest. The condition of employees is bad, and they are frustrated. One of the depot managers started a small stall last week.

Another staffer listed all his monthly expenses in a letter and sent it to the Chief Minister's Office. Basically, everyone is desperate," a union member said.

MSRTC buses catered to high demand in the city last year. File Pics

‘Govt must find a solution'

"We used to get our salary on the seventh of every month, but now the dates have gone all haywire. We have been waiting for our salary for the past two months. The government should think about the employees and find some solution to the recurring issue," one of the employees said.

A bus driver from Yavatmal on Thursday wrote to his divisional office appealing for an advance, stating that he has no money for his children's education, medicine and grocery as he has not received his salary. In the absence of an advance salary, he requested for leave from September 1 to May 31, 2022, so that he can stabilise his finances by finding other means of income.

MSRTC buses lined up at Wadala bus depot. Pic/Ashish Raje

A request to MSEDCL

Another employee from Washim has not been able to pay his monthly electricity bill, and wrote to the MSEDCL on Thursday, requesting not to disconnect supply to his home. In the letter, he said he never had dues in the past and that he was a respectable employee of the MSRTC, but he did not have any money due to the salary crisis.

Maharashtra S T Karmachari Congress has demanded a financial aid of Rs 600 crore from the state government to release salaries of the employees. Its general secretary Srirang Barge said, "The situation is serious, and the employees are restless. The Maharashtra government should look into the issue seriously and release some funds."

The pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the MSRTC's finances and the recovery has been slow, said a senior official. "The corporation has a monthly expenditure of about Rs 700 crore, with an income of around R300 crore. Even though COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed, passengers haven't returned in full capacity," he said.
Sources said meetings are slated between Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on the issue.