Pune: No funds for April salary, PMPML asks 2,200 daily wagers to sit at home

The daily wagers include widows and youth who were provided jobs on compassionate grounds after the death of their husbands or fathers, who were permanent employees of the transport undertaking.

4 min readPuneMay 19, 2020 03:20 AM IST

workers without salary, Daily wage workers, PMPM, pune news, Indian express news

Hema Narwade, a widow, one of those asked to sit at home, outside her home at Kasarwadi on Monday. (Express photo)

PMPML has asked as many as 2,200 of its daily wagers to sit at home as the transport body doesn’t have enough funds to pay their wages. The daily wagers include widows and youth who were provided jobs on compassionate grounds after the death of their husbands or fathers, who were permanent employees of the transport undertaking.

“We have not removed them from service. We have asked them to sit at home. We have paid the salaries of our permanent employees for April. But we could not pay the contractual employees as we don’t have enough funds with us,” PMPML Chairperson and Managing Director Naina Gunde told The Indian Express.

Forty-year-old Hema Narwade, a widow, said, “I have been working for five years with PMPML… I got the job after my husband’s death. I get a salary of Rs 15,000 per month. I got the salary for March, but am yet to get the salary for April. I have been told not to work from this month. I have two young daughters to look after. The situation was already bad due to the lockdown… now, we will have to borrow money from relatives unless I am called back for the job by next month”.

Sangeeta Barne, a widow who lives in Thergaon area, said,”There are at least 50-60 widows who are living in poverty. We get a salary of less than Rs 15,000 and even that has not been paid to us for the month of April. We have been asked to sit at home from this month and have been told that we might not go back to work for months…,” she said.

S Bansode, who lives in Nehrunagar, said, “After PMPML failed to pay my salary, I have had to borrow money from my relatives but I will have to return the money… this month, they will wait, I don’t think they will wait next month. I am worried about what will happen…They have not even told us whether I will be taken back. As it is, it took them 12 years to give me a job on compassionate grounds,” she said.

PMPML spokesperson Subash Gaikwad said, “Nearly 2,200 daily wage earners, which includes widows, have been asked to asked to sit at home. Since PMPML is running a skeletal service, we don’t have much work. Our earning has come down Rs one lakh or so from Rs 1.50 crore daily. We are running in losses”. He added that talks are on with civic bodies for release of payment.

Pune Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said,”Every month, we pay PMPML Rs 12 crore as per pre-decided terms. I will have to check whether we have paid them… so far. Generally, we pay them in the middle of the month.” He said while PMPML has been hit by the lockdown as most of its buses are off the roads, the PMC has also suffered as it has not received full GST reimbursement from the state government.

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PCMC commissioner Shravan Hardikar said, “Both PMC and PCMC fund PMPML. Since PMPML revenue generation has been affected, if it makes a request to the civic body, the PCMC will consider the demand”.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is the guardian minister for Pune district, said, “PMPML is a separate company funded by PMC and PCMC. Both should take care of the undertaking and its employees. I will seek information from both the commissioners.”

District Collector Naval Kishore Ram said,”I will issue a notice to all three bodies… PMPML, PMC and PCMC. They will have to ensure that none of the employees lose their jobs… and that they are paid their salaries as well.”

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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