Communist Party of India(CPI) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam has written a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging him to roll back the proposal of shutting down the Northern Railway Printing Press in Delhi.
In the letter addressed to Union Minister Vaishnaw, Viswam said, “A notice dated June 29, 2021 (No. 220-E/Closure/Staff/Redeployment/Press/SSB), issued by the Northern Railway Headquarters, Baroda House, New Delhi, has been brought to my attention. The said notice deals with the redeployment of staff made redundant by the closure of the Northern Railway Printing Press at Punjabi Bagh, Delhi 35.” He said there had been concerns among the trade unions regarding the decision mainly because of the security involved in the railway operation.
“The concerned trade unions have been writing to you repeatedly not to close down any railway printing presses for substantial reasons, mainly the security involved in railway operations. They were also given assurance that the printing presses would not be closed,” he said.
The CPI leader added in the letter, “The letter dated April 9, 2021, from C Ravindran, Director, Railway Stokes (P&S), Railway Board, it appears that the Railway Board is still working on the closure plan for the said printing presses under a time table. I fail to understand how such a move is in tune with the government’s proclaimed slogan of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
The Rajya Sabha MP urged the Union Minister to intervene in the matter.
“Henceforth, I urge you to intervene in the matter so as to not shut down the said presses. I also request that the proposal be rolled back as soon as possible” he added.