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‘Goods sheds cannot work non-stop’

New regime: The scene at the Kollam railway goods shed. This and eight other major goods sheds in the State will function round the clock from July 1.

KOLLAM: The round-the-clock working of major railway goods sheds scheduled from July 1 has drawn criticism in the State. Some sections allege that the plan is impractical because head-load workers work only during the day in the State. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions calls it a human rights violation.

The critics allege that the Railways have not created facilities for round-the-clock operations. Some regular freight customers say this can raise the prices of many commodities since delay in unloading can mean heavy demurrage charges.

Major goods sheds deal with 12 or more freight trains a month. In the State, the sheds at Kallayi, Valapattanam and West Hill in Palakkad Railway Division and Aluva, Eranakulam, Kalamassery, Kottayam and Kollam in Thiruvananthapuram division have been selected for the new work system. At present, they operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Railway authorities say the notification for the new system follows a Railway Ministry directive to improve the turnaround time of wagons. The introduction of the system was postponed from April 1 following representations from trade unions and freight customers.

A train should be unloaded in five to nine hours, depending on the number of wagons. After the deadline, demurrage charges are collected. Now, nothing is charged for leaving the wagons unloaded from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Under the new system, if a train given five hours is placed after 6 p.m. and left unloaded, demurrage charges will be collected from 11 p.m. for every unloaded wagon at Rs. 100 an hour.

If the shift system is introduced for round-the-clock clearing of wagons, goods transported from the sheds cannot be unloaded at godowns because head-load workers in commercial areas work only from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This, in turn, will invite lorry demurrage charges and lead to price rise, M.H. Mohammedali, rice dealer here, says.

Kollam Panikkar, president of the farming organisation Government Employees’ Welfare Society, says those buying fertilizers will be the worst hit.

The system can lead to corruption, he says. If bribes are paid, placements can be manipulated to coincide with head-load workers’ working hours and if not, with any time in the night to invite maximum demurrage charges.

On May 5, the Commercial Manager of the Thiruvananthapuram division sent a directive to the officials at the goods sheds to provide the facilities required. These include rest rooms for workers and proper lighting.

But even the main requirement of covered sheds has not been met.

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