VIJAYAWADA: Protesting against the indiscriminate privatisation of trains and stations, members of the South Central Railway Employees’ Sangh (SCRES) staged a demonstration in front of the Divisional Railway Manager’s office in the city here on Wednesday.
Addressing the gathering, SCRES Vijayawada divisional secretary A Venkateswara Rao came down heavily on the BJP-led NDA government for handing over the railway operations and infrastructure to private players, including the IRCTC. “Instead of privatising the railways, the Centre should focus on filling around 2.4 lakh posts lying vacant,” he said. Reiterating that the SCRES was committed towards safeguarding the rights of workers, Rao threatened that a series of agitations will be staged across the country till the Centre roll back its activities.
SCRES divisional president A Raghvendra said privatisation would lead to increase in train fares and reduce subsidies, burdening the common passengers. He demanded the Centre fill the vacant posts by giving preference to local youth. “Over the years due to increase in passenger traffic, workload has increased on the train ticket examiners and several of them are suffering from serious health ailments,” he said, adding, due to inordinate delay in filling the vacant posts every TTE covered at least five or six coaches and sought the Railway Board to appoint one TTE for one or two coaches to reduce burden.
He further said Vijayawada electrical Loco Shed requires 170 more staff and workload was increasing on the existing staff. He demanded improvement in basic amenities for the staff such as drinking water and toilets working in the loco sheds.