Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

ECoR Shramik Union plans stir

Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

AIRF assistant general secretary Chalasani Gandhi speaking at a media conference in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. At right is union leader D. Shaleel. —

VISAKHAPATNAM: The East Coast Railway Shramik Union will organise an agitational programme to press for its demands from this month.

Announcing this at a media conference here on Wednesday, general secretary of the union and assistant general secretary of the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) Ch. Gandhi said that among the demands were implementation of VI Central Pay Commission recommendations, setting right the anomalies in pay structure for railway staff, filling up vacancies, lifting the bonus ceiling and the menace of privatisation

“We will conduct the agitation at the branch-level before August 15, followed by divisional-level and zonal-level agitation in September and October respectively. Finally, the AIRF will take it up at the national level,” he said.

On increasing privatization of the Railways, he said though the Railway Minister repeatedly denied it, the fact remained that outsourcing was the order of the day and work such as station cleaning was already privatized in Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Rayagada, Berhampur and other stations in the zone. In the part, the railway officials were seen conferring with union leaders. Now the situation was different, they were holding meetings everyday with only contractors, he said. Regarding filling of vacancies, Mr. Gandhi said today there were as many as 11,000 vacancies in the zone. After the formation of the East Coast Railway zone, the loading operations in the three divisions of Waltair, Khurda Road and Sambalpur had increased.

“Now East Coast Railway is no. 3 among railway zones in the country. But it has the potential to become No. 1 in the future with more of loading operations. The number of coaches has been increased to 24 in many trains and several new trains have been introduced. The work load is going up but there are no staff to issue tickets and reservation. The people and the trade unions are demanding increased facilities in railways but the management and railway ministry does not seem to think so,” he lamented.

Replying to questions, he said two or three contractors held sway in the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation at the national level. Though the food available for Rs.18 or so in the past now cost Rs.40, the quality was poor. There was none to take complaints – even the Divisional Railway Manager or the General Manager was helpless in the matter, he said.

Divisional Coordinator of the union D. Shaleel and others were present.

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