Revenue hit, state roadways imposes 25% salary cut

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 21

The PRTC has imposed a 25 per cent salary cut after failing to generate adequate revenue to cover the losses suffered during and after the lockdown imposed in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Earlier, the PRTC management was hoping that resumption of bus service would help it in mitigating losses to some extent. However, with only less than 30 per cent of the PRTC fleet plying after the lockdown, the losses kept on mounting.

Staff threaten stir

Opposing the pay cut, PRTC staffers have threatened to launch an agitation against the management and the state government if their full salaries were not paid

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PRTC employees have threatened to launch an agitation against the management and the state government if their full salaries were not paid.

Nirmal Dhaliwal, general secretary, PRTC Workers’ Union, said, “Not only there is a 25 per cent deduction, but the salary was also disbursed late. We are aware about the current situation arising out of the pandemic, but the PRTC must claim its outstanding dues from the state government.”

“We are all going through tough times, but the 25 per cent salary cut is way too much. We have brought the matter to the notice of the managing director who has assured us that the cut was for only one month. If employees do not get their full salaries, we will not sit back quietly and start holding protests soon.”

PRTC managing director Jaskiran Singh said, “With the available funds, we could pay 75 per cent salaries to our employees for May. Losses running into crores of rupees cannot be mitigated so early. We have intimated the state Transport Secretary about the financial crunch in the corporation and a meeting with Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been scheduled on Tuesday to discuss the matter.”

Of the PRTC’s 1,150 buses, 250 have resumed operation on some routes. With only a few passengers travelling these days, these buses are barely generating revenue to bear operational costs, including diesel, maintenance and repair.

The MD said the daily collections had nosedived from Rs 1.25 crore daily to Rs 10 lakh. “We are awaiting funds from the state government,” he said.