Noida: Residents of Mahagun Meadows, a high-rise in Noida’s Sector 150, woke up to loud slogans on Thursday morning as security guards staged a protest over delayed salaries. Echoes of “Mahagun haay haay, Mahagun haay haay!” could be heard throughout the upscale residential complex.
In an unprecedented move, the guards allegedly locked the society’s main entrance gates, temporarily preventing residents and visitors from entering or leaving the premises.
A video shared by residents shows dozens of security guards, dressed in blue uniforms, raising slogans against Mahagun Developers, the builders of the residential tower.
“We have been facing salary delays repeatedly. We don’t have any other way to make the management hear us except by going on strike and stopping work,” a woman security guard said.
RWA President Chandan Kumar said the agitation stemmed from “persistent salary delays and poor mismanagement” by the builder since the last three years. Apart from the builders, Mahagun Meadows is managed by the society’s management committee, which oversees maintenance operations and disbursement of salary to the staff.
When The Print reached out to the committee for a response, its representatives declined to comment on the protest. They, however, said that they were working to resolve the issue and address what they described as the “whole loophole” in the system.
‘No salary for 2 months’
As news of the protest spread across the society, several residents rushed to the main gate and urged the security guards to call off the strike and resume work. The situation escalated as residents found themselves stranded with the entry and exit points blocked.
“We are paying our maintenance charges on time but the management delays paying salaries to the guards. Every time that happens, they stop working. Today we were locked inside the society, and our children who were returning from school were stranded outside,” said Sumit Kashyap, a resident.
After residents assured the security personnel that they would intervene and ask the management to release pending salaries immediately, the gates were reopened at around 2 pm. However, they refused to resume their duties until their salary-related concerns were addressed.
“It has been over two months since we have received our salaries. What are we supposed to do? Don’t we need money to feed our families and raise our children?” said another security guard, requesting anonymity.
The guard said that though the management has promised to release their salaries soon, there is no guarantee that they won’t delay paying their wages again. “This has been going on for a long time,” the guard added.
“The management delays salaries, the guards stop working, and the residens’ safety and security are compromised,” Kashyap said.
Noida tower riddled with problems
The security guards’ protest is the latest in a series of complaints raised by residents regarding the management of Mahagun Meadows.
Residents allege that poor maintenance and inadequate housekeeping have become recurring problems in the society. They claim that garbage collection has become irregular, which has led to waste accumulating in common areas. Garbage is frequently left near the play area, posing health risks to children.
They further allege that lifts often malfunction, raising safety concerns for residents. Air-conditioning systems in common areas have been defunct, causing inconvenience during periods of extreme heat.
“Mismanagement and safety issues have become common in our society. We keep raising complaints but they are simply ignored,” said Vandana Singh, another resident.
Residents claim that many of these issues have remained unresolved, despite repeated complaints and several meetings held over the past few months.
They are now urging the builder to take immediate corrective measures, including ensuring timely salary payments to staff, restoring essential services, improving sanitation, and carrying out proper maintenance of the building’s infrastructure.
(Edited by Aakriti Handa)