Employees of the 112 Emergency Call Centre in Bhubaneswar launched a protest on Saturday, demanding payment of pending salaries and better working conditions.
Nearly 180 staff members staged a sit-in outside Kaushal Bhavan in Mancheswar Industrial Area, suspending operations.
Workers alleged that they have not received salaries for the past five months. They raised a 10-point charter of demands, including timely monthly salary disbursement, wage revision from Rs 12,000 to Rs 30,000, regular deposit of EPF and ESI contributions, initiation of job regularisation, reinstatement of employees dismissed over the past year, and improved shift timings with an end to workplace harassment.
The call centre, operated by Oriental Security Service Company since 2022, functions on an outsourcing model. It connects citizens to essential services such as police, fire, and ambulance. The strike has raised concerns about the disruption of emergency response systems across the state.
Protesting employees said they continue to answer urgent calls day and night but struggle to support their families without pay. Some workers reportedly fell ill during the demonstration.
Mancheswar police maintained a presence at the protest site to keep the situation under control. So far, the administration has not issued an official response. Employees urged immediate government intervention to resolve the crisis.
