Station masters decry overwork

Anil Kumar Sastry

To stage protest demonstration in Bangalore on Wednesday

MANGALORE: Railway Station Masters, who work behind the scenes for smooth operation of trains, have now decided to come out in the open highlighting their grievances. Important among them is that they are being overwork without a weekly break.

The Bangalore Division of All India Station Masters’ Association has decided to stage a protest demonstration in front of the divisional railway manager’s office on Wednesday to pour out grievances of its members.

While working up to 12 hours a day has become common, denial of weekly rest too has become the order of the day for Station Masters (SMs), rued the association. As many as 90 posts of SMs are vacant in Bangalore Division, 92 in Hubli Division and 45 in Mysore Division of South Western Railway, it said.

Despite manifold increase in the number of trains over the years, there is no corresponding increase in the number of posts of SMs that could have offered desired working hours.

SMs from different stations were deputed to recently open stations between Chickballapur and Kolar with Railways making no effort to arrange permanent staff, the association said. This has only added to the existing vacancies.