Employees of Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) Monday called off pen-down strike on day 18 after authorities assured them of redressal of grievances.
The SDA employees were on pen-down strike to press for their demands which include demand of transport allowance and resumption of lease right process.
The employees started their pen-down strike on 25 March, this year and continued with it on Saturday.
“Yes, we have called off our pen down strike after assurances from authorities that our demands would be met shortly,” said Jaffar Kashmiri, spokesperson SDA Employees Union.
The Vice Chairman Bashir Ahmad Lone visited the protesting employees at SDA premises and assured them redressal of grievances.
“The SDA VC visited us and listened to our demands. Then he assured that our genuine demands would be fulfilled within next 15 days,” Kashmiri said.
He said that after assurances from the VC, the employees resumed duties immediately.
For the past 18 days, the people have been complaining of hardships, especially at SDA owned parking after employees went on pen-down strike.
“In absence of regulation, the people park vehicles haphazardly at parking slots while some park their vehicles for entire day as they know they will not be charged. Thus, keeping space occupied for entire day and not giving chance to others for parking. It is all mess,” said Aftab Ahmad, a commuter who didn’t find space for parking at Polo View.
He added that most of the parking slots belong to SDA and some of them have literally become dysfunctional with the employees going on strike.
SDA is operating parking facilities at Residency Road near SBI, Poloview and Nehrupark.
In addition to this a mechanized car parking is operational at old KMD Adda Lal Chowk. Presently two multilevel parking facilities are being constructed at old SMG and Sheikhbagh Srinagar.
SDA Employees Union president Nisar Ahmad Khan said that their transport allowance was recently stopped.
“We were getting transport allowance but suddenly it was stopped around eight months ago. On contrary, our counterparts in Jammu Development Authority are getting it,” he said.
He added that the process of “transfer of lease rights which is major source of revenue for SDA” has been stopped.
“Our demand is resumption of these two to which VC assured us,” he said.
He further added that around 100 posts are lying vacant in SDA and it has resulted in overload working on employees.
“We demand recruitment against these vacant posts under rules so that no employee is overburdened as in most cases one SDA employee has to do the work of four persons,” he added.
He added that VC has also responded to this demand in positive manner and assured that he would take up this matter with higher ups.