The South Central Railway Mazdoor Union (SCRMU), Vijayawada division, has branch strongly opposed the Union government’s proposal to monetise railway properties, including railway stations, tracks and colonies. The union representatives submitted a representation to the Vijayawada Divisional Railway Manager voicing opposition against monetisation. and pressing for other pending demands. SCRMU divisional secretary G.N. Srinivasa Rao said in the representation that there was a proposal for monetisation of railway properties to the extent of 400 railway stations, 1,400 km of tracks, 15 railway sports stadia, goods sheds, hill railway stations and several railway colonies. It was nothing but indirect selling of government assets to private people. Once private agencies took over the properties, the common public would suffer and the fares/charges would be in the hands of private agencies. The poor would have to bear additional burden, he said.

Other demands of the union include payment of transport charges to patients who died in the railway hospital, reimbursement of the cost of medical treatment, filling up of promotional vacancies and provision of airconditioning at the TTE rest house. They said all the facilities were promised by the Railways but were not implemented locally. The members of the employees union staged a protest across division on Wednesday.