Southern Railway General Manager John Thomas has instructed Principal Heads of Departments, Divisional Railway Managers, Chief Workshop Managers to identify 50% of the vacant posts in non-safety categories in the zone for surrendering them immediately.

In a communication issued on July 16, Mr. John Thomas, has asked the officials to submit their action plan indicating the department-wise and category-wise number of posts to be surrendered as per the Railway Board’s instruction.

“The numbers may be furnished by July 24 to Principal Chief Personnel Officer to consolidate and reply to Railway Board,” the communication read.

The memoranda for surrender for the identified posts should reach the PCPO by July 31, failing which the posts would be identified and surrendered suo-moto by headquarters in consultation with PHODs concerned, he further said.

According to official sources, Southern Railway headquarters has more than one-third of its sanctioned posts or 2,509 posts vacant in 11 departments like accounts, administration, civil, mechanical, commercial, signal and telecommunication, electrical, medical and personnel department.

“Out of 7,211 sanctioned posts, 2,509 posts are lying vacant in the zonal office. Similarly, another 4,683 posts were lying vacant as on July 1, in the six divisions, workshops and other units,” the official said.

With 7,192 posts lying vacant across Southern Railway, the threat is that at least 3,500 posts would be surrendered.

“This will lead to more work burden on the employees and thereby the quality of work will suffer,” said Dakshin Railway Employees’ Union divisional secretary, R. Sankaranarayanan.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to provide two crore jobs every year, Railway Board’s proposal to abolish vacancies in Railways was just opposite to it, he contended.

Southern Railway Mazdoor Union on Friday staged a demonstration across the zone appealing to the Centre to give up its anti-people policy.