TRS intensives agitation for return of Kazipet crew control centre from Vijayawada
Kazipet: Demanding that the South Central Railway immediately bring back the crew control centre (CCC) also known as crew links to Kazipet junction from Vijayawada, the TRS cadre under the leadership of Warangal West MLA Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar staged a protest at the Kazipet railway station here on Monday. They demanded that the Centre commence the works of the wagon manufacturing unit immediately.
Speaking on the occasion, Vinay Bhaskar said that the Centre had booked several cases against the TRS activists despite conducting peaceful protests and mounting the pressure on the loco pilots. “The railway authorities must take steps to ensure halting of each train passing through the Kazipet railway station. We will intensify the agitation further under the directions of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to bring back the crew links to Kazipet,” Vinay Bhaskar asserted.
He also asked the railway authorities to give a letter officially revoking the tax/ charges for the autorickshaws coming to the Kazipet station (auto stand). He found fault with the SCR General Manager, for not replying on the taxes on auto drivers. “I am thankful to all the TRS activists who participated in the dharna despite heavy rains. We are ready to continue our fight for the shifting of the crew links from Vijayawada to Kazipet with the political parties which show interest to join hands with us,” the MLA said.
Railway employees (loco pilots) have been staging protests against the South Central Railway authorities’ for shifting the CCC from Kazipet railway junction to Vijayawada.
Union leaders are alleging that the SCR authorities had taken unilateral decisions without consulting the union leaders. It is alleged that the Railway authorities, succumbing to the pressure of Andhra lobby, had shifted several links from CCC Kazipet to Vijayawada causing much hardships to the loco pilots. The CCC allots duties to loco-pilots as they report at the Kazipet junction to ply towards Ballarsha, Badrachalam, Vadi, and Secunderabad. With the shifting of CCC to Vijayawada, the loco-pilots have to report to Vijayawada for duties. Sources said that the railways were also planning for retrenchment of the employees and accordingly shifting the CCC to Vijayawada.
The loco running staff employees of formed Joint Action Committee with the unions of SCRMU, SCRES, AILRSA, AI SCT and OBC associations and intensified their agitations. Previously Kazipet Depot had 70 Crew Links. It means 70 Loco Pilots and 70 Assistant Loco Pilots were on board every day. And 20 Crews (Loco pilot Assistant Loco Pilot) were under Leave, Sick, Training etc., and now these crew links were reduced to 35. KUDA chairman S Sunder Raj Yadava and others participated in the dharna. The agitating activists including the MLA have been arrested by the police and released on submitting a personal bond.
