Despite the availability of spare capacity in the railway workshops for their manufacture, sub-standard materials are procured from private parties. In this connection, they have pointed out that the sub-standard executions of track renewal work by contractors have been critically commented upon even by the Railway Accident Review Committee. The Railwaymen allege that Catering Corporation seems to have been established only for the benefit of private contractors. The quality of repairs of quarters, colony roads and sewerage works carried out by the contractors are far from satisfactory. They say that it is very unfortunate that the allocations for contractual works in the railway budget are on the upward trend.
Railwaymen allege that economically viable zones are being created on political considerations.
A number of trains are increased year after year. Vacancies, on the other hand, are not filled up. According to the AIRF, there is a severe shortage of manpower for operations and maintenance and the workload on the existing personnel is increasing. The AIRF has objected to all these issues. The AIRF has asked Railwaymen and other central government employees to mobilise their strength to launch a campaign to pressurise the Government for expeditious settlement of certain demands.