TGSRTC Retirees Flag Delay in Settlement of Dues

Hyderabad:Retired officers of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) have alleged delays in settlement of retirement benefits, stating that more than 800 former officials are yet to receive their dues on the date of superannuation. The TGSRTC Retired Officers Welfare Association said its members would address a press conference on Sunday to highlight the issue. The association represents retired officers of TGSRTC and those of the erstwhile APSRTC allotted to the corporation after bifurcation.

The members said that since the organisation’s early years, retirement benefits were traditionally paid on the day of superannuation during farewell functions. “In the past, all retirement benefits due to employees and officers were paid during their farewell function on the date of superannuation. However, this practice has not been followed for the past decade, with TGSRTC citing financial constraints. Retired employees, supervisors and officers are not receiving their eligible dues on time, and no advance schedule has been announced for clearing the arrears,” they said.

They said the association, originally formed as a platform for interaction among former colleagues, is now functioning as a forum to take up grievances with the management. “Our association was originally formed to provide retired colleagues with a common platform for periodic interaction. In recent years, however, it has been compelled to act as a bridge between TGSRTC’s top management and its members to help resolve their grievances,” they said.

The members said delays in payments have increased over the years, creating uncertainty among retired staff. “The prolonged delays have caused considerable uncertainty and distress among retired staff. Payments are being deferred for longer periods each year, while individual representations to the authorities often remain unresolved for years. With arrears running into lakhs of rupees for each retiree, many are struggling to meet their daily expenses,” they said.

They said authorities have cited financial constraints for the delay. “The authorities have cited the corporation’s severe financial losses as the reason for their inability to clear the dues. It is learnt that the government has not reimbursed TGSRTC in full and on time for providing free bus travel to women since December 2023,” they said.

The association said the delay in payments has affected the financial stability of retired employees. “Without a pension, many retired employees are forced to borrow at high interest rates to meet their daily expenses. Several are also unable to fund their children’s education and weddings,” they said.