After a grueling wait of nearly nine years, retired employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) have reached their breaking point. Their frustration over unresolved retirement benefits has now pushed them to take their protest to the streets. The retirees have announced a peaceful sit-in demonstration at the corporation's headquarters, Bus Bhavan, on January 21.
Mounting Dues and Unfulfilled Promises
The core of the dispute lies in a significant backlog of post-retirement financial dues. The retired staff allege that multiple categories of benefits for those who retired from 2017 onwards remain stuck. This includes arrears, full gratuity, leave encashment differentials, and other final settlement amounts. Shockingly, they claim that only 18 months of leave encashment has been paid out so far, with payments pending up to December 2025.
Despite submitting representations on four separate occasions over the past six months to top officials, including the Managing Director and Financial Advisor, the retirees report no concrete progress. Further complications, such as rejected Provident Fund (PF) applications and delays in pension processing, have resulted in reduced monthly pensions for many, exacerbating their financial woes.
A Crisis of Financial Distress and Growing Backlog
The human cost of this administrative delay is severe. Yadaiah, the State Secretary of the retirees' association, highlighted the dire situation, stating that many former employees are in "severe financial distress." Except for partial leave encashment, no substantial dues have been cleared.
K Rajireddy, the General Secretary, pointed out that the problem is compounding every month. As more employees retire, the backlog of unpaid dues continues to grow. "Several retirees are struggling due to ill health and lack of income, while their retirement benefits remain unpaid," he explained, underscoring the urgency of the matter.
The Final Straw: A Call to Protest
A recent meeting on January 2 between the Retired Employees' Saradhya Committee and senior officials at Bus Bhavan yielded no assurances. Officials reportedly cited the corporation's financial constraints as the reason for the delay.
This has led to the decisive call for a public demonstration. The committee has announced a peaceful sit-in protest in front of Bus Bhavan on January 21 from noon to 3 PM, demanding the immediate clearance of all pending retirement benefits. In preparation, mobilisation meetings will be held at various depots on January 17, where representations will be submitted to depot managers to amplify their demand for justice and financial closure after nearly a decade of waiting.
