'Flash strike by rly unions illegal, irresponsible'

The flash strike by the railway employees, which disrupted local train services on Thursday, has sparked outrage among commuter associations, who have condemned the strike as illegal and sought strict action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).

- Kamal Mishra & Megha Kuchik

Commuter groups are also demanding a transparent probe into the Mumbra tragedy, which led to the deaths of five, as well as Thursday's rail accident in which two people were killed and three injured. Strict action must be taken against those responsible for paralysing the city's lifeline, said the commuter groups. The sudden agitation, triggered by an FIR filed against railway engineers in connection with the Mumbra accident, brought the Central Railway services to a halt, stranding thousands of passengers.

Madhu Kotian, Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sangh president, criticised the railway worker union's actions, calling the disruption "illegal and irresponsible". He said, "The agitation to stop local trains for hours was illegal. The ESMA should be invoked against the agitators." Kotian also accused the union of unfairly targeting commuters, who had no role in the ongoing probe into the Mumbra accident. He further alleged that the railway authorities routinely ignore safety concerns. "Whenever an accident occurs, the railway forms a committee of senior officers. No one questions their reports and they always protect their employees," Kotian added.