KOCHI: The traffic wardens, who had been appointed for manning the traffic during the Kochi Metro construction works, have decided to protest against the Kochi Metro Rail Limited(KMRL)’s alleged failure to provide them employment.
As part of the protest, a sit-in would be staged in front of the district collectorate on Thursday,the District Traffic Wardens’ Association representatives told reporters here. Rasheed Thanath, the association’s district chief, said when the traffic wardens had been appointed by the Metro authorities six years ago,the appointees were given a verbal assurance they would be absorbed in the Metro Rail.
However, with the work on the Metro project nearing completion, the authorities had reneged on their word. According to traffic warden Shalini Sham, some 100 wardens had been selected from the Kudumbashree six years ago. “We had endured the baking sun, dust and rain all these years. Sometimes, our salary was withheld for two or three months.
However,we put up with all that in the hope of landing a permanent job with the Metro,” she said. Meanwhile, the KMRL spokesperson said the recruitment of traffic wardens was still under the consideration of the Metro authorities. “The wardens had done a commendable job when the construction work was under way. It was at a later stage Kudumbashree was entrusted with the recruitment for the Metro project. But we would give due consideration to the wardens in the Metro recruitments,” the spokesperson said.