TIRUCHY: With the service period of 135 retired re-engaged employees ending on Saturday, Tiruchy railway division has started taking measures to manage the impending manpower crisis.
However, sources said the decision to go about business as usual with the existing manpower would increase their workload as the division is facing a staff crunch. The division currently has about 1,200 Group D vacancies and the departure of the 135 employees would worsen the situation.
Most of these retired employees were working as pointsmen and gatekeepers in Tiruchy division. The end of their tenure would increase the workload on the operations department.
Though the Railway Board recently decided to extend the tenure of these retired employees, it is clearly mentioned the division has to approach the General Manager (GM) for any extension.
Southern Railway on Friday issued a direction to all its divisions to inform the employees that their tenures would end on the last working day of this month (Saturday). The divisions need to approach the GM if they want the tenures extended.
However, no division has yet sought an extension. Sources said that even if a division approaches the GM, it would require a minimum of one month for approval.
“If the division is not able to manage the situation, it can approach the GM, but there are about 2,000 such re-engaged retired employees in entire Southern Railway,” said a technical staff.