Warangal: The Kazipet Railway Sub-Division seems to be losing its importance, according to developments seen over the past 15 years. Once home to one of the largest Loco Running Depots in the South Central Railway, Kazipet is now reportedly being sidelined. Employees believe this decline is due to the influence of certain officials from Andhra Pradesh.
Over the last decade and a half, more than 500 employees have been moved from Kazipet to Vijayawada. Some of these transfers were said to be optional or based on nativity, but many feel Kazipet has been treated unfairly. As a result, the small loco-running depot in Vijayawada has grown significantly, while Kazipet has shrunk.
Currently, Kazipet has only 529 employees, though 709 positions are officially approved. The depot has often been used to support Vijayawada’s needs, leaving its own workforce stretched thin.
To make matters worse, 184 new railway posts were recently approved. However, all of them were assigned to Vijayawada, which upset the employees in Kazipet even more.
Devulapally Raghavender, Convener of the Telangana Railway JAC, spoke to The Hans India and said that the Kazipet depot has been facing a shortage of staff for years. He criticized the authorities for shifting employees to Vijayawada without making efforts to fill the vacant jobs in Kazipet. He also pointed out that it’s harder for staff to work long hours in Vijayawada when they could be better placed in Kazipet.
Raghavender added that Kazipet is an important junction, often called the gateway between north and south India, and is one of the top revenue earners in the Secunderabad Division. He said it’s unfair that Kazipet is being neglected, especially when a new rail coach factory is being set up nearby in Ayodhyapuram.
In response to the situation, local politicians from different parties are preparing to protest and demand fair treatment for Kazipet from the Railway authorities.
