Gurgaon Civil Hospital ambulance drivers say salaries have been pending since June

Thirty-four contractual ambulance drivers at Civil Hospital in Sector 10, Gurgaon, say they have not received salaries since June, leaving some to borrow money for rent and food.

The drivers work under the National Health Mission and earn about ₹25,000 a month on average. They said their last payment arrived in May. One driver, who lives in Gurgaon for work while his family stays in Bhiwani, said he pays ₹7,000 in monthly rent and has borrowed from friends and lenders to manage expenses.

Several drivers said delayed payments have been a recurring problem, with no fixed salary disbursal date. Ambulance repair bills submitted to the district medical office are also pending; one driver said ₹25,000 in bills had remained unpaid for nearly a year.

Chief medical officer Dr Lokveer Singh said the letter for salary disbursal was signed on Thursday, but the state department currently controls payment clearance. He said delays are expected to reduce after the authority to clear contractual ambulance drivers’ salaries shifts to district-wise CMOs in September. He added that older repair bills require verification before reimbursement is sent to the state.