Retired Employees of Centaur Hotel Srinagar Face Injustice, Say Civil Society and Pensioners’ Groups

The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JKCSF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Pensioners United Front (JKPUF), led by Abdul Qayoom Wani, have expressed serious concern over the alleged discriminatory treatment of retired employees of Centaur Hotel Srinagar by the Hotel Corporation of India (HCI).

In a joint statement, the two bodies condemned what they termed a "clear case of double standards" in the release of wage revision arrears. While arrears for the period 2008–2018 have reportedly been paid to employees in Delhi and Mumbai, the same benefits have been withheld from the retired staff of Centaur Hotel Srinagar.

“This is a glaring example of regional bias and unfair treatment,” said Wani, adding that the retired employees, who served the institution with dedication, feel deeply hurt and neglected.

The situation is further aggravated by the continued delay in the release of other post-retirement dues, including gratuity, leave salary, and pensionary benefits. Despite multiple written appeals and follow-ups, many retirees are still waiting for their rightful payments, the statement said.

The organizations also criticized the lack of transparency in the process, noting that even attempts to access information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act have been met with evasive or delayed responses.

JKCSF and JKPUF have urged the Union Minister of Civil Aviation and other concerned authorities in the Government of India to intervene immediately. They demanded the release of all pending dues and called for accountability from those responsible for the delays.

The groups emphasized the need to uphold justice, equality, and employee welfare across all regions, warning that continued neglect would only deepen the sense of alienation among retired employees in Jammu and Kashmir.