Kurnool: CITU opposes privatisation of railways

Kurnool: The leaders of Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) have demanded the Modi government to give up the idea of privatisation of railways. They said that the corporate people would be benefitted more rather than common people. If the Central government does not shun its decision of privatisation, then it would certainly face the consequences, they warned.

Speaking to the media here at Adoni, Union district vice-president P Eeranna alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to privatise railway department. ‘The railways is not running in loss, in fact the department is generating good income. With ill intention to benefit the corporate persons, Modi has decided to privatise the department,’ he alleged. He further said common people would face huge problems with the privatisation of railways. He called upon the people to join hands to protect the railways from being privatised.

Eeranna demanded the railways to restore the suspended passenger trains from Raichur to Kakinada and Gulbarga besides construction of women toilets in railway stations. He said a representation was given to the Adoni railway station manager.

Meanwhile in Kurnool, Union district general secretary MD Anji Babu said after bifurcation of State the number of passengers travelling to Vijayawada has drastically increased. He demanded the Central government to operate a train to Vijayawada from Kurnool on daily basis. He said the central government has proposed to privatise 150 railway stations and 400 trains.

Anji Babu said that earlier around three lakh people used to work in the railways, now the figure has come down to 2 lakhs. With the decline in the numbers, the staff is exercising huge pressures due to which several rail accidents are taking place. He urged the Central government to take back the decision to privatise the railways.

The general secretary demanded to complete immediately the railway wagon workshop and generate employment to the unemployed. He informed that a representation was given to the Kurnool railway station manager in this regard.