Hyderabad: Railway employees and workers are seeking a periodical overhauling unit for electric locomotives in South Central Railway from the Union government in the Budget. Due to absences of such a unit in SCR jurisdiction, the electrical rail engines are being sent to either Perambur or Gujarat for overhauling. The process takes at least three months. SCR Employees’ Sangh general secretary M. Raghavaiah told the media here that the SCR has about 589 electric locos online. “Since there is no workshop for carrying out overhauling of electric locos here, they are sent to Perambur or Dahod for overhauling; this resulting in heavy loss of loco days. We convinced the railway ministry on the matter and are waiting for budget allocations for the POH,” he said.
He said that the merging of Railway Budget into General Budget has led to the saving of dividends to the tune of Rs 9,200 crore to the railways but the Union government should leave the statutory powers and autonomous status to the railways. “The commitment was given by the railway ministry for establishment of wagon manufacturing factory at Kazipet has not been fulfilled so far, in spite of acquisition of land about 2.5 back,” he said.
He demanded the Union government to take up recruitments in all the major sectors in railways like safety. “There are as many as 1.6 lakh vacancies in Indian railways in safety departments, and 13,000 in SCR. About 9,000 railway workers died earlier due to stress and about 900 died on duty of which most are in safety sector like trackmen and gangmen. The railway should provide ‘Suraksha’ gadgets, which buzzer while train comes from at least 5 km to the workers as per the earlier promise,” he said.
