Over 50% of Railway booking counters closed

CHENNAI: Hundreds of people who came to book railway tickets at the Moore Market booking office on Wednesday were forced to wait for over four hours as 14 out of 27 ticket reservation counters were closed, while the remaining 13 (excluding two for enquiries) were understaffed. “The staff have gone for a union meeting. We have no other option. People have to wait,” was the standard reply by officials manning the general reservation counters on the first floor to those who raised their voice.“I had gone to the reservation counter around 11.30 am to book my tickets but was shocked to find 14 of the counters closed. The remaining counters were manned by lethargic people,” said Nelson, who waited nearly an hour at the booking counter. Only after he took up the issue with senior officials was he able to book his ticket.At the 11 ticket counters, the staff asked the people to move from one counter to another “according to their whims and fancies”, triggering angry protests.“We have been here since 8.30 am, but are yet to book our tickets,” said a group of exasperated people standing in the long queue.Requesting anonymity, a senior officer at the booking counter said that the problem has been persisting for a long time. “It is not a one-day affair. It is not just because of a trade union meeting today. Members of Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU), in their attempt to bring the department under their control, have been doing this for quite sometime,” he said.“Three to four staff in charge of booking tickets go for hour-long tea breaks. If you ask the senior officer at the counter, they would give the standard reply that they are away for a meeting,” he said. This despite a standing order issued in 2008, stating that the staff should not attend any union meeting during work hours. Whenever the management raises such issues, they go on protest by not serving people who come to book tickets. A similar incident happened on September 24; the authorities were aware of the issue, he said. S Anantha Raman, divisional railway manager, Southern Railway, said he was not aware of the incident and promised to look into it.