The ongoing tussle between the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) and the HRTC Drivers and Conductors Union over non-payment of overtime dues has taken a new turn. After an inconclusive meeting with the senior state transport department officials, the union members have decided to stop night duty routes from May 15 onwards.
According to the union representatives, there are outstanding dues worth over Rs 65 crores for the overtime work done by the HRTC staff in the past three years, which have not been cleared by the department. The HRTC has paid Rs 5 crore (two months’ dues) and promised to pay Rs 2 crore this month out of the total Rs 65 crore against the outstanding dues for overtime work.
However, the union members are not satisfied with this arrangement and have demanded a written declaration regarding the clearance of their dues against overtime work. They have also demanded that the HRTC make provisions to ensure that no fresh overtime work payments are kept due.
Maan Singh Thakur, state president of the union, said, “We will resume night duty only after the authorities concerned release an advance for the same. During night duty, HRTC staff, both contractual and regular, have to spend money on food and stay from their own pocket. It becomes difficult for the contractual staff to bear these expenses as their salaries are meagre.”
The decision to stop night duty routes is likely to cause inconvenience to passengers who rely on the HRTC services during the night. However, the union members have stated that they have been forced to take this step as they have not received a satisfactory response from the HRTC authorities despite repeated requests.
The HRTC has not issued any official statement on the matter yet. It remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved and whether the night duty routes will resume as scheduled from May 15 onwards.
