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IRCTC contractual staff stage protest

Passengers travelling in various trains in the South Eastern Railways were seriously inconvenienced on Sunday as the contractual workers of IRCTC who serve food in the train refused to join their work and put up demonstration at Howrah station.

Hundreds of the IRCTC staffers staged demonstration at Howrah station and threatened to go on strike if their various demands were not met by the IRCTC. The agitators chose to take the path of an agitation on mere apprehension that their services will be terminated by the IRCTC.

Senior officials of the South Eastern Railways said that the matter would be strongly dealt with. The officials, however, claimed that the passengers’ services would not be affected as some alternative arrangements have been made. The agitators did not give any notice that they would undertake the agitation. The incident was completely uncalled for, a senior railway official said.

As a result of this incident, the passengers travelling in various trains faced serious inconvenience as they did not get food and drinking water after boarding trains in Howrah. Due to the agitation, many long distance trains departed from Howrah station after the scheduled time. The passengers of the three Duranta Expresses were mostly inconvenienced.

A private service provider used to engage employees for serving food to the passengers. It was alleged that the railway authorities were planning to engage another private agency to do the job. Apprehending that they might lose their jobs, the contractual workers decided not to join their duties until the senior officials of the IRCTC assured them that their service would not be terminated.

As a result of this agitation, the trains had to leave the station without these employees. Finding no other option to overcome the situation, the IRCTC employees had to be involved in serving food to the passengers.
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