Railway union seeks end to contract staff in safety-critical posts

HYDERABAD The South Central Railway Employees’ Sangh (SCRES) has strongly opposed the Railways Ministry’s “growing reliance on outsourcing in safety-critical operations” and demanded time-bound filling of vacancies in sanctioned posts. SCRES general secretary M.

Raghaviah said the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) had also recommended that contract workers engaged in safety-related duties be reduced to a minimum in the short term and eliminated in the long term. The recommendation followed the collision involving the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express at Kavarapettai station on October 11, 2024.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/joint-team-probe-hints-at-sabotage-angle-in-tamil-nadu-train-accident/article68757750.ece 1.5 lakh vacancies in safety categories across Indian Railways The union leader alleged that contract personnel continue to be deployed to compensate for shortages of regular employees, including in safety-sensitive operations, despite official claims to the contrary. He said there are about 1.5 lakh vacancies in safety categories across Indian Railways.