MSRTC employees protesting at Azad Maidan (Image used for representation purpose only) | Pic: Bhushan Koyande
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees staged protests at depots and divisional headquarters across the state on Wednesday, demanding long-pending financial dues and other benefits. With the Maharashtra State Transport Workers’ Union warning of an intensified agitation if their demands are not met, commuters traveling during the Holi festival may face severe travel disruptions.
The protesting employees have been demanding the immediate release of dearness allowance (DA), house rent allowance (HRA), and annual pay increments on par with state government employees. Despite being entitled to these benefits, MSRTC workers claim their DA arrears have been pending since 2018, even after a court ruling in their favor. While state government employees are set to receive a 53% DA rate from July 2024, with arrears paid in March 2025, MSRTC employees continue to receive only 46% DA. The union has urged the state to implement the 53% DA for MSRTC employees along with arrears. Additionally, they demand the clearance of pending HRA and annual pay increment dues from April 2016 to October 2021.
Other key demands include timely disbursement of Provident Fund withdrawals, an end to strict disciplinary policies and complex application procedures, reinstating fare hikes in multiples of five, and withdrawing penalties imposed on drivers by the RTO in cases where they are not at fault.
A senior MSRTC Workers’ Union leader stated that MSRTC employees should not bear the burden of the corporation’s financial crisis and must be granted their rightful dues. The union has warned that if their demands are not addressed promptly, they will escalate their agitation, which could lead to major disruptions in public transport services.
With Holi being a peak travel period, concerns are rising among commuters, especially those traveling to their hometowns, about the possibility of protests affecting transport services. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), known as the lifeline of the state, operates over 14,000 buses daily across the state, catering to approximately 5.5 million passengers daily . These buses cover over 15,000 routes, spanning a total distance of about 3 million kilometers daily. As the state’s primary transportation service, MSRTC plays a vital role in connecting rural and urban areas seamlessly.
