The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) Retired Officers Welfare Association has urged the State government and the TGSRTC management to immediately clear pending retirement benefits, alleging that former employees have been waiting for years to receive their dues.

Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, association president M.V. Nagavender Rao expressed disappointment over the corporation’s negative attitude towards its retired employees, supervisors and officers. He alleged that delays in the payment of gratuity, leave encashment and arrears arising from various pay revisions had caused financial hardship and uncertainty for retirees.

According to the association, TGSRTC currently owes about ₹980 crore in retirement benefits and arrears to former employees. Mr. Rao said repeated representations submitted to the present vice-chairman and managing director as well as previous management had failed to produce any results.

Mr. Rao said that until about a decade ago, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation used to settle all retirement benefits on the date of an employee’s superannuation. However, the practice was discontinued citing the corporation’s financial difficulties. Since TGSRTC employees do not have a pension system, delayed settlement of terminal benefits has left many retirees struggling financially, he said.

Mr. Rao reminded that Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, last year, had assured retired officers that their pending arrears would be released in the near future.