Fill over 3.12 lakh vacancies in railways: Vinod Kumar

Vinod Kumar raised concerns about the operational efficiency and safety of the railway network in the wake of such staggering vacant posts

Hyderabad: Expressing concern over the tragic rail accidents in the recent past, Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar pressed for the urgent need to fill more than 3.12 lakh vacancies in Indian Railways especially the South Central Railway. He pointed out that despite the advancements in technology, accidents continue to persist in the Railways and raised concerns about the operational efficiency and safety of the railway network in the wake of such staggering vacant posts.

In a letter to union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday, Vinod Kumar emphasised the need for a comprehensive solution to address the issue of understaffing and ensure the presenec of qualified professionals in critical positions. He also cautioned that the reliance on unskilled contractors to manage Electric Traction Substations which alone has over 30,000 vacant positions, could result in multiple railway disasters.

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He stated that the shortage of staff due to vacancies was severely hampering the operations and compromising passenger safety in South Central Railway, a vital railway zone that serves the States of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He observed that inadequate safety measures, delays and disruptions, overburdening existing staff, deteriorating service quality, were having a severe impact on overall operations of the railways.

Vinod Kumar suggested that the Central government expedite the recruitment process and mitigate the impact of vacancies, by fast-tracking recruitment process, ensuring adequate training facilities, providing attractive incentives, and also collaborating with educational institutions among others.