Representatives of Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) and Dakshin Railway Employees’ Sangh (DKES) met SWR’s Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Mudit Mittal and Southern Railway’s Palakkad DRM Madhukar Roat after a DRMs’ meeting here on Friday and aired the concerns of their members. They told Mr. Mittal that railwaymen who wish to continue under SWR in Mangaluru were apprehensive of being transferred to places elsewhere in SWR jurisdiction.
It was reiterated that staff would be given an option to remain with SR or opt to join SWR, according to the rules and procedures of the Railway Board. The Board’s directions provide for transfer of non-gazetted staff on an ‘as is where is’ basis, while permitting staff to exercise an option to stay with SR or switch to SWR; the prescribed procedure will be followed for other categories as applicable.
Mr. Mittal told The Hindu that the railwaymen were informed that their services were needed for continuity of railway operations and services in the Mangaluru railway region. “You know the place well; we want continuity of services,” he told them.
No eternal continuity
At the same time, the railwaymen were told that they were bound by the service rules of Indian Railways and could not expect eternal continuity of their service in Mangaluru. Those who were closer to retirement, say four to five years, would not be disturbed at all. Others too might continue in Mangaluru, unless there were serious charges against any staff member.
There were about 1,300 employees working in the Mangaluru region, Mr. Mittal said, adding that Palakkad Division had already asked them to exercise their option. Their options would be final and SWR would not force them to stay back; however, it has urged them to continue at least for three months until things settle down.
The DRM told the railwaymen that the Railways was committed to employee welfare and would protect their interests.