The Hindu Business Line : Rlys may privatise parcel handling at Madurai

With the denial of permit renewal for contract loadmen, a major chunk of the parcels booked to various destinations from here are lying on the railway platforms.

The resultant diversion of business to the road transport sector and mounting pressure from traders are forcing the authorities to take a decision on the privatisation of the process.

Till recently, a contractor, managing a group of loadmen, was given station permit to handle loading/unloading of parcels. Due to a recent complaint raised by the PMK functionaries that the private loadmen were indulging in "anti-social" activities, the permit, usually renewed every month, was rejected, it is said.

Owing to the acute shortage of luggage porters, the volume of loading/unloading is said to have come down since early October.

While the regular customers are sore over the inordinate delay in loading parcels booked to northern destinations, the officials are said to be dilemma, as a majority of luggage porters are women, not usually engaged in hard labour.

The volume of parcels has gone up following the 50 per cent cut in tariff (announced in April this year) and it is difficult to handle the consignments with the existing staff strength, the official sources said.

It is learnt that a team of officials inspected the parcel office premises at the station recently in connection with the problem and held discussions with the booking clerks.

Like in Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram in Southern Railway, officials are planning to privatise parcel handling at the Madurai railway station too, the sources added.

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