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Pune: Unpaid gratuity issues led retired employees from Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) to stage a protest in front of the main office at Swargate on Monday. The former employees alleged that administrative negligence has forced them onto the streets despite having dedicated their entire lives to the organisation. They further claimed that medical facilities, pension services, and salary revision differences under the Pay Commission have also not been disbursed.

A retired employee named Somnath Gaikwad said, “We have been fighting for our rights for the last eight years. Three to four managing directors have changed, but the issue still remains unresolved. We are not receiving our pensions. At the very least, the administration should release the gratuity of retired employees. Around 3,000 employees are suffering. PMPML owes each of us a different amount.”

Mukund Wawale, a retired bus conductor, told The Free Press Journal, “I gave 32 years of my life to this department and retired in 2024. Now we are being forced to fight for our rights. I was never promoted even once. We are not getting the justice we deserve. I am supposed to receive ₹5 lakh from the administration, which is my rightful due.”

Anil John, who retired as a conductor in 2019, told The FPJ that although the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has sanctioned the required funds, the matter is not being taken seriously by senior officials.

“This issue has been pending since 2017. Many of our colleagues have died... Who will give justice to them? If PMPML is facing difficulty in paying all of us at once, they can release the payments serially as per seniority. Managing Director Pankaj Deore scheduled meetings with us five times but never actually met us,” he said.

Another former employee, Dilip Deshpande, added that medical services for retired staff have also stopped. “We gave our entire lives to this service. At this age, medical support is essential, but officials continue to make inappropriate decisions,” he said.

PMPML Public Relations Officer (PRO) Kishor Chavan told The Free Press Journal, “The matter is under process. PMC has provided its share of the funds, but the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has not yet sanctioned the amount. The payment has to be cleared in a 60:40 ratio. Once PCMC releases its share, the dues will be paid to retired employees.”