Goods train care centre to go

KOCHI: On the eve of the Railway Budget, the railway sector in Kerala is struggling to retain one of its largest revenue resources: the goods train maintenance facility at the marshalling yard in Ernakulam.According to official sources, orders have been sent from Chennai to Thiruvananthapuram on the closing down of the only goods maintenance shed in Kerala which was built long before Independence.“The order was sent at least two weeks ago by the Senior Operations Manager in Chennai. Based on this, they have started redeploying some of the staff to Irumbanam. There are rumours that some will be deployed out of state,” an SRMU member said.The move, SRMU union leaders suggest, will decrease the potential of employment for the railways in Kerala. At least 200 posts, including that of the mechanical, signaling and operating department will go. “Currently, there are chances that even the families of these employees will be forced to move.”Once a hub of activities, especially during the months of March, April and May, when freight traffic is high, the shed has turned desolate. “Not a single goods train has come here for maintenance in the past week. Some staff members were asked to go to Irumbanam. A few have been deployed to the Mattancherry station. If no action is taken, we will soon lose the only goods maintenance shed in Kerala,” another source said.As the issue is heating up, sources suggest foul play on part of Chennai officials to dent Kerala’s revenue. Senior Operations Manager S Radhakrishnan refused to comment on this issue.