Railway Porters Seek Group D Reinstatement: Delegation Meets MP in Jamshedpur

Tatanagar Railway Station porters meet Jamshedpur MP, demanding reinstatement in Group D roles in Railways. Technological advancements are threatening their livelihoods.

JAMSHEDPUR – A delegation of porters from the Tatanagar Railway Station, under the banner of the Railway Coolie Union Sangh, met with Jamshedpur MP Bidyut Baran Mahato on Thursday.

The meeting was led by Union President Binod Kumar, and attendees included Ramesh Kumar Yadav, Yogesh Ram, Pappu Yadav, Pramod Yadav, Hiralal Yadav, Rakesh Sharma, Roshan Kumar, Vijay Pradhan, and Ralbi Rao.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the MP, expressing their desire for porters to be reinstated into Group D roles, as was done in 2008.

The advent of technological advancements at railway stations, such as escalators, lifts, battery-operated vehicles, and display boards on platforms, combined with the widespread use of trolley bags by passengers, have led to a significant reduction in porter jobs.

This has resulted in the loss of livelihood for approximately 90% of porters across railway stations.

The delegation emphasized that the significant transformations at railway stations were affecting their traditional means of income and made a plea for their reintegration into viable roles within the railway system.