After three days of stoppage, work at Kochi metro’s coach maintenance depot at Muttom resumed on Wednesday.
“The work is going on at the site and we don’t see any interruptions as of now,” said an official of the Delhi Metro Rail Cooperation, hoping that prevailing issues would be settled amicably by the intervention of police and the labour department. Piling works on the stabling yard coming up at the location had been stalled for three consecutive days from Sunday after labourers under the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh staged protests demanding jobs.
“It seems the CITU and INTUC are not ready to accommodate the BMS men though the later claims to have reached an agreement with the contractor agency, Shila Constructions,” the official added.
Meanwhile, an attempt by the police to reach a consensus on the issue by holding a discussion of the leaders of the three trade unions failed as CITU and INTUC leaders abstained from the meeting. “The meeting was scheduled after receiving confirmations from the unions. But except for BMS, none representing the other unions turned up,” said PA Faisal, Sub-Inspector of Police.
According to him, the contractor agency has demanded police protection to carry out the work in the wake of the recent protests. “The police will not permit any disruption to the Kochi Metro works and we have been directed to give adequate protection,” the official added.
‘Pact invalid’Meanwhile, BMS leaders have warned of indefinite protests at the site and threatened to block the piling works indefinitely. “The labour agreement, which the CITU and INTUC are talking about, was clinched about two years back and stands invalid now. The district administration should take the initiative to clinch a new deal by accommodating us in the piling works,” said Anil Kumar, secretary, District Nirmana Thozhilali Sangham, an organisation of construction workers attached to the BMS.
Over the past many months, works at Muttom yard have faced multiple disruptions due to labour issues and protest by local residents.
