0.1 (3) converted
- 1. All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) Mumbai, Maharashtra Add: c/o Jayram Vishwakarma, 602, 9F/1, Shangharsh Nagar, Chandivali, Andheri (E), Mumbai 400 072. Mobile: 99876 87690. Email: [email protected] __________________________________________________________________________ Date: 31-July-2020 To The Hon’ble Union Minister for Railways Government of India, Ministry of Railways, Rail Bhawan, Raisina Road, New Delhi-110001 (For urgent attention and personnel intervention of Respected Shri Piyush Goyal, the Hon’ble Union Minister for Railways) Through GM/Central Railway Sub: Request for withdrawing invitation of bids from private players for running 151 trains over 109 (Origin-Destination) pair of railway routes of the Indian Railways and privatisation of Railways . Respected Sir, With due respect, on behalf of All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Mumbai, Maharashtra, we wish to draw your attention towards the undermentioned and request your goodself to act expeditiously in the national interest. (1) We are deeply concerned over the recent announcement of the Central Government regarding invitation for calling tenders from private players for running 151 trains over 109 (Origin-Destination) pair of railway routes of Indian Railways. (2) We strongly oppose this anti-railway, anti-employee and anti-people move of the Ministry of Railways and the Central Government of India. We demand complete withdrawal of invited bids for running trains by private players especially in light of the promise made by Respected Shri Narendra Damodardas Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, on 25 December, 2014 during inauguration of expansion of Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh that there shall be no privatization of Indian Railways. The Hon’ble Prime Minister has repeatedly emphasized on making our country self-reliant. But will privatization or corporatization of public property one by one can make our country self-reliant? (3) It is also submitted that as promised by your goodself in the Parliament on dated-12.07.2019, 22.11.2019 and 16.03.2020 that Railways will not be privatized, but this move is clearly towards privatization. In entire India nowhere the private sector came forward to function in non-profitable areas, then definitely they will come to reap profit only from the Railways, the largest network of public transport in India. (4) Sir, it has been evident that in any situation of crisis whether it is internal or external, public sector enterprises and government department employees (i.e. Doctors, Nurses, Paramedical Staff, Safai Karamacharis, Railway employees, Bank employees, Police, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve
- 2. Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Army, Air Force and Navy) have always come forward to help the country. This has been proved again in this Covid-19 pandemic, where public sector and government departments have emerged as the largest helping hand for the country and its countrymen. Every time in crisis the Railways provided much help to its citizen, but never the Private sector came forward for the same. (5) That, presently Indian Railways provide concession to 53 categories of people travelling through it all over the country, but this move towards privatization will stop this concession altogether to all the 53 needy categories of people. Whether private players driven by only profit-making will provide these concessions to our citizens? (6) This is not out of place to mention that in organized sector of our nation the Railway is the biggest job provider but this move of outsourcing of work in last years has drastically reduced the job providing capacity of the Railway and this latest move of private trains will totally curtail job providing capacity in our nation which has largest number of employees in the world. (7) It is also true that entire railway structure is made of public money, thus it is the national property. No one (i.e. any politician or any political/ruling party of the country) has the right to allow/sale public property to private players/capitalists. This move of Central Government will increase train fares and train fare will be out of reach for common people especially large percentage of economically weaker class who are the real owners of Indian Railways. (8) Sir, where were private players when Indian Railway was deserving investments after freedom? Why no one showed interest either to maintain or develop its infrastructure? Now, when it has become a milking cow with hard turmoil and endless effort of its employees and people of the country, private players are keen to enter into it because it will reap them profit. In view of the above submission, we on behalf of organization and in the interest of the 130 crore population of our country demand that: 1. Privatization of Indian Railways in any form must be stopped immediately. 2. Introduction of 151 private trains in 109 routes to be stopped forthwith. 3. Selling out or closure of Railway land, colonies, Stations, Hospitals, Workshops and other Railway Establishments should not be done at any cost. 4. Corporatization of seven Railway production units should be withdrawn. 5. Instead of curtailment of staff please fill up all the existing vacancies. 6. No staff should be thrown out of job in the name of 55 years of job or 30 years of service. 7. All staff, irrespective of their date of appointment should be covered by defined pension scheme instead of NPS. 8. There should be no increase in freight and fare. 9. Scrap the recommendations of Vivek Dev Roy committee’s recommendations. 10. Profitable public property “The Indian Railways” should not be sold out for the sheer profits of the monopoly houses. We expect that your good office will take necessary measures to save the “Indian Railway”, the life line of Indian Economy for the interest of the people of our country.
- 3. Sincerely yours Dated – 31/07/2020 Com. Anil Kumar Tyagi On behalf of AIUTUC Mumbai, Maharashtra