TIRUCHY: In the wake of a Railway Board directive to create isolation wards in all railway hospitals and sanitise coaches, unions said the immediate need was to distribute masks to employees interacting with public.
On March 4, the Board issued a direction followed by an advisory by Southern Railway on March 9.
“We welcome the directive, but priority should be given to distributing face masks to TTEs, Station Masters and other employees,” said Mannai Manoharan, Dakshin Railway Employees’ Union.
Southern Railway advised employees to stay protected and avoid public gathering, and were told to correspond, through phone, e-mail than visiting virus-hit places.
“Seniors can do their job by communicating through mobile or e-mails. But, people like us are travelling to affected places. Though the governments took measures to prevent virus, railways should also take measures. Masks are not available in places in Kerala,” a TTE said.