Railway Union questions govt's intention over printing press shut down

All India Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF), the largest union of Indian Railways has raised its objections against the central govt's intension to shut down the printing presses of Indian Railways. As per the planning of Indian Railways, the unreserved and reserved tickets, time-table, maps and other stationery materials, which are being printed at these presses would now be outsourced to RBI and Indian Bank's Association's authorized printers.

New Delhi: After years of service, the printing presses of Indian Railways - in Mumbai, Howrah, Chennai, Secunderabad and Shakurbasti, are being shut down. However, the move has irked it's trade unions, who have raised several questions to the Central Government as to why an organization would shut it's own presses while outsourcing all printing jobs that will cost much more.

All India Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF), the largest union of Indian Railways, held a national workshop, on Sunday, with all the printing press employees who may become jobless due to this move.

During the workshop, General Secretary of AIRF, Shiv Gopal Mishra alleged that the Ministry of Railways is "plotting" to shut down all the printing presses as the Central Government wants to privatize Indian Railways.

"Government is basically aiming to sell off the land of these printing presses. Crores of rupees were applied to modernize these printing presses of Indian Railways and now these will be sold out to private players," SG Mishra alleged.

The Union Members also asserted that the earnings from these printing presses used to be included in the revenue of Indian Railways, then what is the reason for outsourcing the printing jobs which are going to cost more.

As per the planning of Indian Railways, the unreserved and reserved tickets, time-table, maps and other stationery materials, which are being printed at these presses would now be outsourced to RBI and Indian Bank's Association's authorized printers.

When asked about the matter, the Ministry of Railways didn't reply to the query of ETV Bharat till the time of publishing this story.

Congress party, on Monday, attacked the Central Government over the matter. While speaking to ETV Bharat, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, "I think the way chip by chip, block by block attempts are being made to destroy Indian Railways unravels a very sinister plot at play. PM had said that Railways will never be privatized. What is he doing today?"

She further added, "Railways is not just an enterprise. It is a means of social equity. It is not just going to make a number of people unemployed, it is going to make transport untenable for a large section of our population."