CITU questions 17-month delay in paying Rs 2,500 crore terminal benefits

CHENNAI: The city police on Thursday detained transport corporation employees and pensioners, who have been staging a prolonged protest across 22 centres for the past 53 days, when they attempted to lay siege to the Secretariat, pressing their long-pending demands for payment of arrears and retirement benefits.

When the workers, led by CITU State president A Soundararajan and Tamil Nadu Government Transport Employees Federation general secretary K Arumuganainar, began their march from Pallavan House, they were stopped by police at the Anna Salai junction, leading to a road blockade and subsequent arrests.

The workers have been holding a sit-in protest since August 18, demanding payment of the pending 15th wage revision, disbursement of 10 months’ dearness allowance arrears, and settlement of terminal benefits for 2,500 employees who retired since April 2024.

Speaking to reporters, Soundararajan questioned the government’s inaction: “Retired employees are being sent home empty-handed, something not seen in any other department in India. The law mandates that retirement benefits must be paid within one month, yet Rs 2,500 crore due to retirees has been pending for 17 months. Is this fair?”

He alleged that the administration had diverted Rs 15,000 crore deducted from employees’ contributions instead of remitting it to the relevant institutions, resulting in severe delays in benefits.

“We have been protesting peacefully for 53 days, yet there is no intervention. If this continues, there will be protests across Tamil Nadu,” he warned.