Train movement hit as staff desert posts

By Our Special Correspondent

VIJAYAWADA, DEC. 6. The movement of trains was affected for about an hour in Vijayawada railway division as employees deserted their posts in protest against the alleged manhandling of the Station Superintendent of Narsaraopet by the Divisional Railway Manager, Mr. Satish Kumar, on Tuesday.

Employees of the route-relay-interlocking system came out locking their room making it difficult for the trains either to enter or leave the Vijayawada station. There was nobody to issue tickets at counters. As the power supply was cut off to the control room, it lost touch with the stations in the division to give instructions on movement of trains. So, the Station Superintendents were asked to decide the priority for themselves and permit the trains to move, piloting them wherever necessary. The operations thus went pellmell for more than half-an-hour as never before in the division.

Following the call of the Railway Mazdoor Union, most of the employees in the control, operation and booking sections came out to join the demonstration at DRM's office. They raised slogans like ``DRM down down,'' ``Arrest, transfer and suspend the DRM for manhandling the Station Superintendent'' etc.

They relented only after the General Manager spoke to the DRM on the telephone and directed him to settle the issue amicably with the recognised union. As the DRM agreed to go over to the Government Hospital at Guntur where the aggrieved Station Superintendent was admitted for treatment of chest pain, the employees called off their agitation and resumed their duties.

It all began with Mr. Satish Kumar visiting Narsaraopet for routine inspection. He found one of the waiting rooms locked. Mr. Sastry, Station Superintendent, explained that as the VIP waiting room was not yet ready, he had to keep the furniture supplied in the ordinary waiting room. The DRM was angry that the toilet in the waiting room was not kept clean. He allegedly dragged the Superintendent into the toilet and asked him to see the condition himself. Mr. Sastry later developed chest pain and got himself admitted to the Government hospital at Narsaraopet and was shifted to Guntur later.

Mr. Satish Kumar, talking to presspersons, refuted the charge that he had manhandled the official. He said he had only suggested to him to take greater care in the maintenance of passenger amenities. He said he had not apologised to Mr. Sastry. But the Railway Mazdoor Union assistant divisional secretary, Mr. P. S. Charan, said that the DRM came back to the hospital for a second time on instructions from the General Manager and expressed regret for whatever had happened.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Next     : Stray incidents of violence in old city