Most railway stations in the Palakkad division will remain uncleaned from Wednesday if the authorities do the needful.
Stationmasters have decided to stop engaging temporary workers for cleaning the stations, including the platforms, from November 1, as they are not being paid.
The All India Station Masters Association (AISMA) is on the warpath, as the railway authorities are turning a blind eye on their demands, including the payment for the cleaning staff.
All railway stations except major ones are being cleaned by contract staff engaged locally by the stationmasters. Stationmasters have been paying the cleaning staff from a cash of ₹10,000 to 15,000 kept on a monthly imprest system.
As the railway authorities did not replenish the imprest system in the last few months, the stationmasters were forced to pay the cleaning workers from their pocket. “We don’t want to pay from our pocket any more. The answer we got from the higherups for our demand for the cash is not to undertake the cleaning. Therefore, we are going to stop cleaning the stations from November 1,” said AISMA leaders here on Sunday.
The stationmasters are planning a hunger strike in front of the Railway Divisional Office at Olavakode on November 8 to press various demands, including the prompt payment for cleaning.
They also demanded that those with senior rank should be appointed as station managers in Kozhikode and Kannur. They said that the Railway should reconsider its decision to shift the Traffic Inspector post from Kannur to Thalassery.
