BENGALURU: The nearly 700 Home Guards working for Namma Metro are having a tough time at work since the last three months as their regular weekly offs have been cancelled. Instead, they get a day off only once a month. This auxiliary force, intended to assist the police, has no job guarantee, and this aspect has made many apprehensive of speaking about this issue, causing much heartburn to many. Home Guards play a crucial role in manning Metro stations. Among the few who dared to voice out was R Karthik (name changed), who works on Metro’s Green Line.
“We earn Rs 13,195 a month, which comes to Rs 455 a day. Only if we work for 29 days each month, we get this salary. I have a six-year-old daughter and I hardly get any time to spend with her now because of the cancelled weekly offs,” he said. Stating that they work eight hours a day like all other employees, Karthik sought to know why the cadre was being discriminated against. Another Home Guard deployed at Kempegowda Interchange Metro station said the job was stressful and a day off will definitely give them some rest.”We are on our feet eight hours a day at the platforms and exits of stations.
It is unfair that we are deprived of rest and time with family even once a week, “ he said. “If we require a day leave due to some urgent work or any emergency in the family, it is only on the loss of pay,” he added. A woman Home Guard said, “We used to be given full pay for all the weekly offs, but now, we neither get offs nor payment. Many of my colleagues are also very bitter, but we are all scared to speak out,” she said. A top BMRCL official confirmed the development.
“From October this year, Home Guards are getting only one weekly off in a month against the earlier four offs, as per the order of the DGP of Home Guards in the communication dated September 13, 2019,” the official said. A top police official said Home Guards is a voluntary force. “The police department recruits and trains them. They are always paid on a daily wage basis only. In this specific instance, BMRCL pays their wages. However, since the removal of weekly offs is a concern expressed by them now, we will look into the issue.”