TSECL Contractors announce indefinite strike over unpaid bills

Mounting frustration and years of unpaid dues have pushed the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) Contractors’ Association to declare an indefinite strike beginning Friday, starting from Circle‑1 in Agartala and spreading to every circle across the state in the coming days.

Speaking to reporters, contractors voiced deep anguish over what they described as three years of neglect. They said bills submitted before Durga Puja last year remain unpaid even today, leaving them unable to sustain their labour force or manage their own households. 

“We work in scorching sun and heavy rain for the public, but when it comes to our payments, we are left waiting endlessly,” one contractor lamented.

The Association recalled that during an earlier strike, the General Manager had met them and promised resolution, and they had withdrawn their protest out of respect for the Power Minister’s assurances. Yet, they allege, nothing has changed. “We have written more than ten times to the MD, but there has been no proper response,” contractors said, accusing the MD’s office of functioning in an “autocratic manner” where only select contractors receive payments while others are ignored.

They further stated that appeals have been made to the Chief Minister, the Power Minister, and even the Chief Secretary, but no effective action has followed. “We know the public will face inconvenience, but we have no choice left. Our families and workers are suffering because of this delay,” the contractors added.

The strike, beginning in Agartala, is expected to escalate across Tripura, potentially disrupting electricity‑related services statewide. The Association insists that their demand is not just about money but about fairness, dignity, and recognition of the work they perform to keep the state’s power infrastructure running.