Maharashtra ST Announces ₹10,000 Diwali Bonus For 83,000 Employees Amid Concerns Over Ticketless Travel
Mumbai: Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will pay a Diwali bonus of ₹10,000 each to around 83,000 officers and employees, even as the transport undertaking faces financial difficulties. Transport Minister and MSRTC chairman Pratap Sarnaik announced the decision on Thursday, along with a festival advance of ₹12,500 for eligible employees and an increase in dearness allowance from 58% to 60%.
The announcement comes at a time when public transport undertakings are under pressure to improve revenue and curb ticketless travel. Mumbai's suburban railway network, which carries millions of passengers daily, has also been intensifying ticket-checking drives to prevent revenue leakage. The festival bonus is expected to bring relief to ST employees, while the financial burden of the decision adds to the challenge of keeping public transport services financially sustainable.
महाराष्ट्र राज्य मार्ग परिवहन महामंडळाच्या (#एसटी) ८३ हजार अधिकारी व कर्मचाऱ्यांना दिवाळी सणाच्या निमित्ताने प्रत्येकी १० हजार रुपये सानुग्रह अनुदान, पात्र कर्मचाऱ्यांना १२,५०० रुपये सण उचल आणि महागाई भत्ता ५८ टक्क्यांवरून ६० टक्के करण्याचा महत्त्वपूर्ण निर्णय परिवहन मंत्री तथा एसटी महामंडळाचे अध्यक्ष प्रताप सरनाईक यांनी जाहीर केला. एसटी महामंडळातील विविध कर्मचारी संघटनांच्या प्रतिनिधींसोबत झालेल्या बैठकीत हा निर्णय जाहीर करण्यात आला. महामंडळ आर्थिक अडचणींचा सामना करत असतानाही कर्मचाऱ्यांच्या दिवाळीचा आनंद हिरावून घेता येणार नाही, अशी ठाम भूमिका मंत्री सरनाईक यांनी यावेळी मांडली. मुख्यमंत्री देवेंद्र फडणवीस, उपमुख्यमंत्री एकनाथ शिंदे आणि उपमुख्यमंत्री सुनेत्रा अजित पवार यांच्या खंबीर पाठबळामुळे एसटी महामंडळाचे भविष्य उज्ज्वल असल्याचा विश्वासही त्यांनी व्यक्त केला. दरम्यान, एसटी कर्मचाऱ्यांनी आंदोलन अथवा संप करु नये, असे आवाहन मंत्री सरनाईक यांनी केले. “एसटी ही सर्वसामान्य प्रवाशांची जीवनवाहिनी आहे. कोणत्याही आंदोलनामुळे प्रवाशांची गैरसोय होऊ नये. कर्मचारी आणि प्रवासी हे एसटीचे दोन महत्त्वाचे घटक आहेत. कर्मचाऱ्यांच्या प्रश्नांवर संवादातून मार्ग काढण्यास आम्ही सदैव तयार आहोत,” असेही त्यांनी सांगितले.@PratapSarnaik
— MAHARASHTRA DGIPR (@MahaDGIPR) November 5, 2026
Bonus Decision Adds Financial Burden
The decision was announced after a meeting with representatives of various employee unions. Sarnaik said the corporation would incur an additional expenditure of around ₹160 crore but maintained that employees' contribution to public transport could not be overlooked.
Traffic Police Impose Restrictions Between Karnala Sports Academy & Cargo Airport Gate Over Accident Risks From Speeding Vehicles"ST officers and employees work round the clock to provide safe travel to lakhs of passengers. Giving them a bonus during Diwali is not merely an act of generosity, but their right," Sarnaik said.
Minister Appeals Against Employee Strikes
He also appealed to employees not to resort to protests or strikes, stressing that any disruption would inconvenience ordinary passengers. The minister said the government and the corporation were ready to address employee concerns through dialogue.
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Public Transport Faces Revenue Challenges
The announcement comes against the backdrop of continuing efforts by public transport agencies to improve their financial position. Ticketless travel remains a concern for suburban railway services, with ticket-checking drives being used to recover revenue and discourage irregular travel. For ST, the challenge is to balance employee welfare with the need to provide affordable and reliable services.
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