A section of station masters observed fast here on Tuesday demanding the railway administration to fill up the existing vacancies of station masters in Tiruchi Railway Division. The fast call was given by the All India Station Masters Association (AISMA), Southern Railway.
The day-long fast observed near the Khadi Kraft was led by the AISMA Tiruchi divisional president K. Dharani.
The association said though the total sanctioned strength of Station Superintendent, Traffic Inspector, Station Master and Assistant Station Master put together was 562 in Tiruchi Division, more than 100 vacancies were yet to be filled up . The vacancies were poised to only increase further in the wake of retirement of many station masters in the coming years. This was causing hardship to the serving station masters as they were unable to avail their weekly off and leave, the association said. Further, the work burden on the existing station masters was affecting them physically and mentally, Mr. Dharani said.