Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 15
Despite the fact that the Indian Railways had decided to make Dimapur Railway Station (DRS) a “model” station in the country, basic amenities still remain far from satisfactory for the passengers and Railway employees of the station.
“Dimapur Railway Station is very congested and unhygienic,” Rakhal Das Gupta, general secretary of the NF Railway Mazdoor Union (MU), told The Morung Express. He along with his joint secretary, Ashish Biswas was on a day-visit to Dimapur, to discuss issues in regard to their organisation, on last Friday.
“This station is a gateway of Nagaland and Manipur, and the passenger’s movement including military is very high. However, the platform number 1 is very small and platform number 2 does not even have shed for passengers,” lamented. “Passengers cannot even use the western side (Lumding end) footbridge to enter in the station since there is no provision to let in the passengers” he added.
Also, informing that DRS earns good revenue for the Indian Railways, he said workload is very high although “There are roughly 10, 000 posts lying vacant in NF Railway”. He said recruitment to fill up the vacant posts will lessen the workload of the present employees and will further help in minimizing the unemployment problem in the region.
“Passenger Reservation System (PRS), Unreserved Ticket System (UTS) and Enquiry Counter are very confusing and disorganized,” said Gupta, adding, “Railway employees cannot satisfy passengers due to such problems and this things also turns passengers to behave aggressively.” He pointed out that even the quarters of railway employees were not maintained properly. Rakhal Das Gupta said that due to security reason, the new PRS has not been opened and added that there was not enough Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel in Dimapur.
He on behalf on the union also condemned the recent serial blasts that took place in Assam and also condoled the death of 3 workers at coal mine at Ledo in Assam. Meanwhile, the NF Railway Mazdoor Union, Dimapur Branch submitted a representation to the Divisional Engineer (DE), Lumding on October 30 last.
The representation signed by its secretary, appealed to the DE to provide “us a suitable road for holding conference/meetings/gatherings from time to time in the Mazdoor Union premises of Dimapur Branch. “But it is surprising to note that the administration is trying to close down the present entrance to the MU premises without any prior discussion with the branch/Divisional Convenor instead of providing suitable roads along with street light for easy movements of its members and delegates from outside at the time of conference/meetings etc,” it stated. The representation further requested “not to close down the existing entrance until or unless a suitable arrangement of road is made to this union.”
