Coach attendants not paid salaries for 6 months
   Date :29-Apr-2020

Coach attendants_1 &
 Coach attendants at CRMS office in DRM campus to seek justice for themselves
 
Staff Reporter :
 
The contract labourers attached to the Ajni Depot of CR finally approach the CRMS 
 
Coach attendants attached to Ajni Depot of Central Railway’s Nagpur Division are having a horrid time as they have not been paid their salaries for past six months. The countrywide lockdown due to outbreak of coronavirus now has spelled doom for these workers, mostly youth and bread winners of their respective families, as they are left in lurch. Though most of them have returned to their bases but for that too they went through lot of struggle as long distance passenger carrying trains got suspended due to the lockdown. These youth were contracted by M/s Nimbus Harbor Rail Tech Services, a company operating from South, and they had recruited nearly 72 youth for working in air conditioned coaches for delivery of blankets, bed sheets and pillows.
 
As the lockdown period is likely to get increased the youth are worried how to ensure they and their families do not starve as the company is stone walling their requests for releasing salaries. Talking to The Hitavada, the youth mentioned that they had submitted an application during last week of March to their in-charge at Ajni Depot but the promised salaries were not released. Now worried about their salaries the coach attendants approached Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS) Nagpur Division officials who rushed to their aid. CRMS Divisional President Virendra Singh took up the matter with Sr. Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Sr. DME) Akhilesh Choubey and asked for early resolution of the issue regarding pending salaries of the coach attendants.
 
The youth used to work in Nagpur-Amritsar, Nagpur-CSMT Duranto, Ajni-Pune and Ajni-LTT trains. While from city about 18 to 20 youths were recruited, some others were from Wardha, Dhamangaon, Badnera and other smaller cities. Vijay Chourasia, one of the few coach attendants, told The Hitavada that they were given part payment in February and later the contract of Nimbus ended and a local agency was roped in by the division officials. Due to lockdown he was among four others who got stranded at Amritsar along with regular railway employees. The situation was very grave and we survived on bread and few snacks and never had full meals for nearly five to six days, Chourasia told The Hitavada.
 
The railways thereafter arranged for their transportation in goods train and they reached city while others returned from Mumbai immediately. Sr. DME Choubey told The Hitavada that the administration too is in bind as they had terminated contract of Nimbus owing to complaints and non performance. A new agency, Piyush Traders, is roped in for supplying bed rolls. He said representative of Nimbus was called for finalisation of bill so that salaries of attendants could be released but due to lockdown they are not in position to travel. As soon as the lockdown is lifted the railways will arrange for release of salaries of coach attendants, Choubey told The Hitavada. Virendra Singh while talking to The Hitavada said since Railways have security deposit of contractor part of the stalled payment can be released to the youth who have their families to take care of. Rest of money can be given to these coach attendants after full settlement of bill.