Railway Workers Demand Safety Over Cost: A Call for Action

The All India Railway Trackmaintainers Union has urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to implement the Rakshak safety device across all divisions, ensuring the safety of railway workers. The union emphasized its success during a pilot study in Secunderabad, citing concerns over safety during night patrols.

In a pressing appeal, the All India Railway Trackmaintainers Union has called on Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to deploy the Rakshak device to safeguard the workforce, following the tragic death of a track maintainer in Howrah division. This incident has sparked demands for a systematic review of the railway patrolling protocols.

Rakshak, a GPS-powered alert mechanism, proved effective in securing railway personnel in previous trials within certain regions, such as Secunderabad. The union highlighted that the device successfully prevented accidents by alerting workers of oncoming trains, thus saving lives.

Chand Mohammed, the working president of the union, expressed frustration over the limited implementation of Rakshak, accusing the Railway Board of prioritizing costs over worker safety. Should their appeals be ignored, the union plans a protest at Jantar Mantar to press their demands further.

(With inputs from agencies.)