Telangana Rashtra Samithi Member of Parliament B. Vinod Kumar on Sunday supported the demand raised by the SCR Mazdoor Union (SCRMU) to carve out a separate Kazipet division from the Secunderabad division for North Telangana’s growth and increased revenue.
In a memorandum submitted to Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, the MP claimed that there was a “lot of resentment in and around Kazipet” because the demand for a separate division was not considered.
He stated that employees of the Waltair Division were “agitated and disappointed” since the division would soon ‘disappear’ with a part merged with Vijayawada division of SCoR and another with the East Coast Railway with new division of Rayagada.
Mr. Kumar had requested for the Waltair Division to be part of the headquarters merged with SCoR leaving aside the Odisha portion.
SCRMU general secretary Ch. Sankara Rao too asked general secretary of the All India Railwaymen’s Federation Shiv Gopal Mishra to use his good offices and represent to the Railway Board to retain the Waltair division and formation of a Kazipet division. Mr. Rao added that TRS MPs had in 2007 submitted a petition to then Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav seeking a Kazipet division as it fetches 40% income to SCR and hence, economically viable. Also, it is centrally located, has passenger as well as freight trains’ examination facilities, has training facilities like diesel traction training centre, divisional civil engineering training centre, and facilities for employees.