Just a gimmick with eye on polls?

KOLKATA: While a section of employees and officers were happy after Mamata Banerjee granted Metro Railway the status of a railway zone, there are some who believe that this was nothing short of a gimmick. According to them, Metro enjoyed the status of a full-fledged zone from the start and officers and staff received the same benefits as their colleagues in other railways.
"Mamata Banerjee's announcement was strange.I don't know what additional benefits the officers or employees would get after Wednesday. She said that 650 casual employees would be
absorbed. She may not be aware but the services of these employees have already been regularised some time ago. I would call this programme a mere stunt," said Dilip Mukherjee, leader of the Metro Railwaymen's Union.
According to others, this was Mamata's attempt to strengthen the hands of Trinamool Congress leader and MLA Madan Mitra, who heads the casual workers who, Mukherjee says, have already been recruited. The Trinamool, which does not have sufficient presence among railway unions, wants to take control of the Metro once elections are held.
Others have claimed that the conversion of Metro into a full-fledged zone would allow it to go in for a recruitment drive before the assembly elections in the state. Mamata's claims of providing employment in the state would then be vindicated. The Railway Board has already urged all zones to go in for recruitment drives to fill up vacant posts. The railway minister wants to fill up nearly 2,27,000 posts in this manner.
"The minister has justified her decision to extend the Metro network up to New Garia. We would like to know why the nine new rakes that the Metro was supposed to receive before this extension have still not arrived. After all, she has been railway minister for over 18 months now. Her allegations that a section of staff sabotaged rakes is also incorrect. We have evidence that the rake which derailed a few months ago had undergone periodic overhaul (POH) in 21-22 days. Rules specify that only three coaches can undergo POH every month. Those who completed POH on eight rakes in 21-22 days, to gain brownie points, could not have done a proper job," Mukherjee said.
According to him, Mamata needs to do more to build up confidence among operating staff and those involved in maintenance. Mukherjee claimed that drivers are running the old rakes at a great risk. Those involved with maintenance are also doing their best.