Outsourced CTD transport staff protest in Telangana

HYDERABAD : Drivers of hired vehicles staged a protest at the Commercial Taxes Department (CTD) office in Nampally over unpaid salaries and bills which are pending for six to 16 months.

The protesting outsourced staff said that they brought the issue to the notice of officials multiple times but to no avail.

Speaking to TNIE, Telangana Four Wheeler’s Driver’s Association’s General Secretary Somesh Kumar said that the drivers are neck deep in debt due to the indifferent attitude of the officials.

“The drivers have to pay EMIs for cars they buy by taking loans, house rent, insurance, school fees of their children and also for car maintenance. But they are unable to do so as the bills have not been cleared. Their vehicles will be seized if they fail to pay EMIs,” he said.

“The dues include payment of Rs 34,000 per month [with Rs 680 TDS deduction] to each driver of these private vehicles, which are used for government purposes,” he lamented.

Around 270 vehicles have been hired by the CTD. Being the owners themselves, they double up as drivers. They are paid once in three to six months.

“We are also asking the department to hike the charges due to ever increasing prices of commodities,” Shaikh Salauddin, president of the Association, said.

The dues of other outsourced staff, including data entry operators and housekeeping staff, are also pending.

A source in the CTD told TNIE:, “Clearing of bills has started from Monday. The process was pending with the finance department after being cleared by the treasury. When this process will be completed is unclear as it all depends on the budget the finance department has. If it has a budget, dues can be cleared in a day, if not then it takes time.”

However, the association members said the officials promised them to resolve the issue by clearing the dues on priority in the next few days.