MPs write to Goyal to give TTEs' running staff status

New Delhi: In a classic case of government's apathy, the ticket checking staffs of Indian railways are still paying the price that they had paid during British rule for helping freedom fighters by providing them seats in trains and transporting their 'consignments' from one destination to the other.

Supporting the demands of ticket checking staff, about 100 parliamentarians, including Union Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, have written letters to Railways Minister Piyush Goyal for the restoration of their running staff status.

Interestingly, the Britishers had removed TTEs from the list of running staff of railways and the trend is still in practice even after 70 years of the Independence.

Demanding the restoration of running staff status, Indian railways Ticket Checking Staff Organisation (IRTCSO) president Mukesh Gautam told Millennium Post that TTEs are not even getting the basic facilities meant for a railway staff as ticket checking staff are not in the list of railway's running staff.

"We (TTEs) are the brand ambassadors of the railways and we are being mistreated by the department. Given that we were penalised by the British government for helping our freedom fighters, the government should had recognised us as the freedom fighters, but we are being 'punished' by our own government," Gautam said.

Surprisingly, their counterparts in Bangladesh and Pakistan have been included in the running staff list soon after their partition from India.

Giving details about problems being faced by TTEs, he said, "We are not getting the benefits such as timely increments, facilities of restrooms, running staff allowances, etc."

It's worth mentioning that during a recently held interaction, Chairman Railways Board Ashwani Lohani had instructed officials concerned to examine the whole issue and resolve it at earliest.