HRTC Retirees Turn to Judiciary After Months of Pension Delays
Frustrated by continuous delays in receiving their rightful pensions despite numerous protests and meetings with authorities, retired employees of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation have finally sought judicial intervention. The pensioners, who have been struggling for months to receive their regular payments, approached the Himachal Pradesh High Court seeking immediate relief.
Court Directs Immediate Payment of Pending Dues
On Friday, a bench headed by Justice Sandeep Sharma took cognizance of the pensioners' plight and directed the corporation to release the pending October pensions at the earliest. The court was hearing a petition filed by 20 HRTC retirees who highlighted the urgent nature of their situation.
The petitioners, aged between 60 and 79 years, submitted before the court that their pensions for the month of October had not been disbursed, even as November was nearing its end. They emphasized that this delay affected all retirees of the corporation, not just the petitioners.
Corporation Seeks Time While Court Expresses Hope
While the HRTC requested two weeks to submit a formal reply to the court, the bench expressed hope that the October pensions would be released by the next hearing date, if not already paid to the retirees. This development comes after the pensioners exhausted all other avenues, including multiple protests and meetings with corporation authorities over the past several months.
The case highlights the ongoing financial struggles faced by retired government employees in the state and sets an important precedent for timely disbursement of pension benefits. The court's intervention has brought fresh hope to the elderly pensioners who depend on these payments for their daily sustenance and medical needs.
