MSRTC Employees Threaten Strike, Demand Revised City Compensatory Allowance

Pune, 7th February 2026: Employee unions of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), widely known as ST, have issued a warning of a statewide bus strike if the state government does not take an immediate decision on the long-pending revision of monthly city compensatory allowances.

Union leaders claim that despite clear government norms, thousands of MSRTC employees continue to receive allowances far below the rates they are officially entitled to under city-based classifications.

Dilip Parab and Sagar Dighe of the Maharashtra State ST Workers’ Union said the state Finance Department had issued a circular on December 11, 1998, categorising MSRTC depots into A1, A, B1, and B2 city classes, in line with Central Pay Commission guidelines.

Under these norms, employees working in ‘A’ category cities with a basic salary exceeding Rs 6,000 are eligible for a monthly city compensatory allowance of Rs 240. However, the union alleges that staff in the Pune division, which falls under the ‘A’ category, are still receiving only Rs 65 per month due to outdated pay structures.

A similar issue has been raised in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, a B2 category city, where workers are reportedly being paid just Rs 25 per month instead of the prescribed Rs 120. Union leaders argue that the ongoing underpayment has led to significant financial losses for employees over the years.

According to the union, employees from cities such as Pune, Solapur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have submitted multiple representations to the state government, seeking implementation of the revised compensatory allowance as per official classifications and salary slabs.

“So far, there has been no response or concrete action from the government,” Parab said, adding that workers may be forced to begin a statewide strike if the matter remains unresolved.

Any statewide strike by MSRTC employees could severely disrupt public transport, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas where ST buses serve as a vital lifeline. Students, daily wage earners and regular commuters are likely to be among the worst affected if services are suspended.

The unions have urged the state government to resolve the issue promptly and release the pending dues to prevent inconvenience to the public.