BRS seeks clarity on Kazipet coach factory, jobs for displaced families

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has urged the South Central Railway to provide job guarantees to farmers who gave land for the Kazipet railway manufacturing unit. The SCR assured that the concerns would be forwarded to the Railway Board.

Hyderabad: The BRS demanded clarity on the proposed railway manufacturing unit at Kazipet and sought job guarantees for farmers who gave land for the project. A BRS delegation comprising former MP B Vinod Kumar, former MLA Aroori Ramesh and other senior leaders met the Railway General Manager of South Central Railway at Secunderabad on Monday.

During the discussion, they raised the issue of employment for locals at the Railway manufacturing unit in Kazipet and its capacity to manufacture the rolling stock etc, and also the formation of the Kazipet Railway Division.

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Addressing the media after meeting the General Manager of South Central Railway (SCR), Vinod Kumar said the demand for a coach factory at Kazipet had been pending for nearly four decades. The Centre had earlier announced a wagon factory, but the proposal later changed to a manufacturing unit after land was acquired from farmers at concessional rates, he said.

Reminding that following efforts by the then BRS elected representatives, the majority of farmers gave away their lands for the factory paving way for development of the region, he said the SCR general manager informed the delegation that the project work was being executed by a private firm.

Former MLA Aroori Ramesh said the delegation had sought employment for families who lost land for the project at Ayodhyapuram. Locals should be given priority in jobs, similar to other railway projects including Latur where land losers were provided employment, he said.

The BRS leaders also raised the demand for a separate Kazipet railway division. The SCR general manager assured that the issues would be conveyed to the Railway Board for necessary action.