Mysuru: Railway employees who ensure safety of railway coaches that ferry thousands of passengers are working in a really pathetic condition at the Mysuru Railway station pit lines. Pit Line, the work area to check every coach and engine for their condition especially brakes, suspension and then fix glitches, is clogged with sewage water and emanating stench. Due to unhygienic conditions at pit line where the employees have to work even walking on some portions of the stagnant sewage water, diseases are spreading. Three to four employees even went down with dengue fever.
For the past couple of months, the fate of railway employees who are working at the pit line is in doldrums. Many of the employees are fed up and with no other option, they are working in an environment absolutely unfit to even stray into. Since a long time, they are exposed to unhygienic condition putting their health into risk.
The workers at the pit line play a very important role in the railway department. Most of the trains arriving in Mysuru go to pit line for primary or secondary maintenance. They include Thanjavur Express, Tipu Express, Ajmer Express and Mayiladuthurai Express. If a train goes for maintenance, a comprehensive check for nearly six hours is conducted by the employees. They check each and every part including wheels of bogies and even engines. If there is any defect or damage, they rectify it and see that the all the bogies are fit for the journey. In case of any rail accident, the employees working at the pit line are first held responsible. When such is the responsibility on these employees, the facilities and the basic work environment offered to them is pathetic. But still these employees, risking their lives, walk on sewage water and check the trains. Everyday at an average, more than 250 employees work round the clock at pit line and check more than 300 bogies.
Speaking on anonymity, an employee working at pit line said, “For the past few months we are working in pathetic conditions. For the betterment and safety of the passengers we are risking our lives and checking the train by walking on stagnant sewage water. It is hightime that the authorities come out with better environment for us so that we can work comfortably and without any health risk”.
