MSRTC staff threaten statewide agitation from November 5 if demands are not met before Diwali

Employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) have said that if their pending financial and administrative demands are not addressed before Diwali, they will begin an agitation across the state from November 5.

The Maharashtra State Transport Kamgar Sanghatana has announced several protest programmes, including a statewide demonstration on November 3 and a gate meeting on November 4. The union has appealed to officials to take a positive decision on the demands by November 2.

The union's main demands include a Diwali gift of Rs 25,000 and a festival advance of Rs 12,500 for employees. It also wants October salaries paid on November 2. It has asked for payment of arrears of annual increments pending since 2016 and of house rent allowance. The union also wants arrears of dearness allowance pending since 2018 to be paid.

It also demands that dearness allowance be raised from 58 per cent to 60 per cent from January 2026, and that pay scales on a par with Maharashtra government employees be introduced.

Along with the monetary demands, the union has raised concern over administrative issues that affect both employees and passengers. A National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) service operates for travel concessions for women and senior citizens, and the union has demanded that technical problems with it be fixed. It has also demanded top-up facilities at bus depots and a solution to the problems conductors face with UPI payments.

The other demands include cashless medical facilities for employees and their families, an end to contract recruitment, and changes to the policy on the use of MSRTC land and leased electric buses. The union has demanded withdrawal of the circular on additional leave linked to maternity leave. It has also asked officials to look into what it called disproportionate disciplinary action against employees.

The union has set out its programme in case the demands are not resolved. On November 3, a bell-ringing protest will be held across Maharashtra. On November 4, there will be a gate meeting and demonstration. From November 5, a continuous sit-in and demonstration will be held outside bus depots and divisional offices across the state.

The union has also warned that the agitation could be intensified if no satisfactory resolution emerges before Diwali. The proposed action has raised concern about disruption to ST bus services during the festival season. However, the announcement is only a warning of agitation and does not confirm that bus services will be shut.