Mumbai Society Raises Watchman’s Salary to ₹16,000, Then Withdraws Increase Amid Neighbor Protests
Mumbai Society Raises Watchman's Salary to ₹16,000, Then Withdraws Increase Amid Neighbor Protests
A Reddit user shared that his residential society decided to roll back a salary increase for their watchman after some neighbors voiced their objections. In a post on the “Mumbai” subreddit, he explained that the society had raised the watchman’s pay from ₹12,000 to ₹16,000 per month, but due to protests from neighboring societies, they had to revert to the original amount.
A raise in salary:
In a post on Reddit, a resident of Mumbai shared that his housing society raised the watchman’s salary from ₹12,000 to ₹16,000 per month. He mentioned, “My society increased the watchman’s salary and then faced pressure to reverse the decision.”
The Redditor explained that this salary increase was approved during a recent meeting of the society. The watchman was pleased with the raise and informed other watchmen in the area about it. This led those watchmen to request salary increases from their own societies, resulting in protests from residents.
“The watchman proudly shared his new salary with his friends from nearby buildings, prompting them to ask for raises as well,” the Reddit user wrote. “Consequently, secretaries from other societies contacted ours, urging our society secretary to retract the salary increase because their watchmen were also demanding higher pay. Ultimately, our members decided to roll back the salary increase, bringing it back down to ₹12,000,” the Reddit user concluded.
Anger on social media:
The post has generated significant outrage and frustration on social media, primarily due to the reversal of the salary increase, but also because many were taken aback by how low the watchman’s original salary was.
This situation has sparked a larger discussion about social inequality and the obstacles that often hinder the advancement of those in less fortunate positions.
One comment under the Reddit post highlighted the hypocrisy, stating, “The same members earning over a lakh a month would be crying about their employer giving them a small 5% hike. Middle class in India is just as greedy as the rich.”
Another user questioned, “How can a person survive on a mere ₹12,000 monthly salary in Mumbai?”
A user pointed out, “This is sad; that extra ₹4,000 divided by the number of flats would’ve been peanuts for residents but is absolutely life-changing for the watchman.”
The post also gained traction on X, where the decision to retract the salary hike faced widespread criticism.
Another user remarked, “The state of India. One building society increased the watchman’s salary. Other nearby buildings forced them to roll it back.”
One user expressed, “These things just break my heart. The ‘gated societies’ culture somehow brings the worst out of people in this country.”
Reddit Link
