Marshals stage protest at Hydraa office in Hyderabad, wage cuts spark mild tension

Ninety-three retired army marshals protested at Hyderabad’s Hydraa office against a salary cut from Rs 27,000 to Rs 22,750. Officials promised to review salaries after studying other states’ pay scales

Hyderabad: Tension flared at the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (Hydraa) in Budha Bhavan on Monday as 93 marshals staged a protest. The demonstration took place outside the chamber of Hydraa Commissioner A V Ranganath in response to a recent government order that cut their monthly salaries.

The Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD) department had issued an order on August 5, reducing the marshals’ salaries from Rs 27,000 to Rs 22,750 per month. The marshals, who are retired army personnel, were initially recruited with a monthly salary of Rs 27,000, inclusive of all components.

---

The marshals, whose duties include protecting water bodies, demolishing encroachments, and preventing protests at demolition sites, vehemently opposed the pay cut. They gathered at the Hydraa office, and all 93 marshals prepared a signed representation threatening to resign if the decision was not revoked.

Hydraa Commissioner A V Ranganath intervened and pacified the marshals by holding a one-hour meeting. Later, Ranganath, while addressing media, said, “The issue will be resolved amicably after contacting the higher-ups of the MA&UD. Soon, a team from Hydraa will be sent to Maharashtra and Bengaluru to study the salaries paid to marshals in those states.”

Vilas Rathod, a supervisor of the marshals, also spoke to the media, saying they had given Hydraa an ultimatum. “An ultimatum of three months was given to Hydraa to sort out the salaries issue,” he said, “after which we will chalk out a plan of action.