Mumbai: 'Rail roko' protest by Apprentices ends, rail traffic restored on Central Line

Train service on Central line resumed on Monday after a 3.5 hours blockade caused by 'rail roko' protest by scores of students demanding jobs in the railways. The rail traffic remained disrupted between suburban Matunga and Dadar stations for over three hours, causing difficulties to lakhs of commuters during office hours.

MUMBAI: Train service on Central line resumed on Monday after a 3.5 hours blockade caused by 'rail roko' protest by scores of students demanding jobs in the railways. The rail traffic remained disrupted between suburban Matunga and Dadar stations for over three hours, causing difficulties to lakhs of commuters during office hours. Mumbai rail roko protest:

• Was in continuous touch with officials. No rules have changed, 20% seats are reserved for apprentices but they are demanding more. Lathi-charge was done after agitators started pelting stones, no one was injured: Maharashtra CM in State Assembly on railway job aspirants' agitation
• Trains Rescheduled on March 20, 2018: 10103 CSMT-Madgaon Mandvi Exp (sch 0710 hrs) at 1000 hrs; 11301 CSMT-KSR Bengaluru Udyan Exp (sch 0810 hrs) at 1015 hrs; 12534 CSMT-Lucknow Pushpak Exp (sch 0825 hrs) at 1030 hrs; 11029 CSMT-Kolhapur Koyna Exp (sch 0840 hrs) at 1045 hrs

#Mumbai: #RailRoko protest by Apprentices ends, railway traffic on Central Line restored.

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) March 20, 2018

• Raj Thackeray's MNS extends its support to agitating students
• Central Railway Statement: "There is no provision of giving jobs to the apprentices as per the Apprentice Act. They are given only training of a specified period to improve their skills and experience of having worked in the field.  However, Ministry of Railways have taken a decision and reserved 20% of the seats filled through direct recruitment.  The notification is already issued with last date of submitting application as 31.3.2018. Apprentices can apply against this notification and Special Examination will shortly be held for Apprentices who have done training in Railway Workshops under Apprentices Act."
• Railways apprentice students are carrying out Rail Roko agitation since morning at Matunga railway track but no Central Railway officer has turned up there to talk to them yet. One can understand inconvenience of local commuters but students' demands are also needed to be fulfilled: Sanjay Nirupam, Congress
• According to reports, BEST has decided to ply more buses from Matunga and other stations on the Central line to reduce the inconvenience caused to the commuters due to 'rail roko' protest.
• Local trains on the way to CSMT via Thane and Kalyan stations are terminating at Kurla and returning in 'down' direction.
• The police also resorted to mild lathi charge on the students to disperse them.

• Around 400-500 students blocked the rail track at 7 am in the morning, forcing railway to stop the suburban as well as express train in the affected section between Matunga and CSMT.
• It has been 1.5 hours, trains are not running and we are stuck at Dadar station, a commuter said urging the Central Railway to look into the matter.

• "We will not budge from here until and unless Railway Minister Piyush Goyal come and meet us. Our several prayers made to DRM (Divisional Railway Manager of Mumbai Division) have failed," another student said.
• "There has been no recruitment since last four years. We are struggling from pillars to post. Over 10 students have committed suicide. We cannot let such things happen," PTI quoted a student who was part of the protest as saying.
• Entire four lines are affected between Matunga and CSMT. Police and railway official are having talks with them, a Central railway officer told PTI.

 

#UPDATE #Mumbai: Railway traffic affected as 'rail-roko' agitation by railway job aspirants, continues, between Matunga & Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station. pic.twitter.com/BgqdfOXR1G

— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2018

Due to some agitation between Matunga and Dadar, rail traffic affected between Matunga and CSMT...

— Central Railway (@Central_Railway) March 20, 2018

Up slow locals are terminating at Kurla and returning as Special in Dn direction@RidlrMUM @m_indicator @mumbairailusers

— Central Railway (@Central_Railway) March 20, 2018

"Mumbai police along with GRP and RPF jawans are having talks with the students and railway's first priority was to clear the track first," Chief PRO of Central Railway Sunil Udasi said.