Vadodara: Opposing the proposed Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) has come down heavily on the government demanding it to instead augment investments on the existing rail infrastructure. The NFIR, a recognized federation with affiliated unions across the Indian Railways, is insisting the government to prioritise need for upgrading infrastructure first.“We want the government to upgrade existing infrastructure including tracks, signalling equipment, traction system among others before pursuing the bullet train,” said NFIR’s general secretary Dr M Raghavaiah. He said that that bullet train project can be thought of only after 2025. On a visit to the city, Raghavaiah attended three meetings — at the electric loco shed at Vadodara yard, at the divisional railway manager’s office at Pratapgunj and later addressed running staff at the Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh office.Raghavaiah said that the NFIR has been protesting against the government’s failure to fulfil its assurances against its demand to exempt railway employees from New Pension System (NPS). The role of railway’s workforce is unique, complex, hazardous and akin to the defense forces, he explained. “Although two successive railway ministers have supported the demand to exempt railways from NPS and also apprised the central government to withdraw NPS and restore defined liberalized pension scheme, there has been no positive response from the Centre,” he said. The federation also met railway minister Piyush Goyal on their demands, he added. “We are also continuing our struggle to ensure social security in the form of guaranteed pension to all the employees who have joined railways from January, 2004,” he said.Among the liost of its demands, the NFIR also wants all trained apprentices in railways and quasi units’ staff to be inducted to fill the large-scale vacancies in safety posts, while abolish the 12-hours duty schedule. It also wants kilometrage allowance rates to be revised with effect from July 1, 2017, while the headquarters rest for running staff to be made 24 hours.

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