CMRL services disrupted on day two, staff continue stir

Chennai: More than 1,000 passengers suffered as the CMRL services were disrupted on Tuesday for the second consecutive day as workers staged a sit-in against the management on Monday, for dismissing their colleagues.

A few metro services were temporarily halted. Initially, the CMRL claimed that the suspension of services was due to 'technical glitches' and not due to the strike. However, later CMRL said, two of its employees deliberately caused the automatic signalling system to malfunction, disrupting services.

Elaborating on the reasons for the 'glitches in the system' which the CMRL had originally quoted, on Tuesday noon, it said the direct services from Chennai Central to the airport that were stopped, had been restored.

"Inter corridor train operation between Central to Airport was successfully restored by 1.30 pm on Tuesday. All Metro train services are running as per schedule," the CMRL tweeted.

In a statement, the CMRL said, "Two of our executive staff tampered with the automatic signalling system leading to malfunction. "We have identified the employees involved in the sabotage. A high-level meeting is underway and a formal police complaint is also under consideration," said a CMRL official.

Sources said CMRL plans to file a police complaint against some employees for manhandling a joint general manager and a woman manager on Monday evening and damaging the fire alarm at the Thirumangalam station.

On Monday night, around 250 employees of the CMRL staged a sit-in before the CMRL Managing Director's office in Chennai, demanding a meeting with him. When the meeting failed to materialise, Soundararajan, state president of CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) called in an indefinite strike.

In July, employees on CMRL's permanent rolls, had set up an employees union, which reportedly irked the CMRL. On Monday, the management dismissed eight employees allegedly for trying to form a union.

Meanwhile on Tuesday evening, after a talk with CMRL, Soundararajan, state president of CITU, said, "The CMRL is continuing with its anti-worker measures ever since its inception. Workers have been denied their benefits. Their allowances have been completely stopped.

They are not even provided with restroom facilities in the stations. The dismissals by the management are arbitrary and we will continue our struggle till the workers are reinstated and the anti-worker policies are changed."

Soundararajan also said, "The dismissed workers were denied permission for meeting even after waiting for more than three hours to meet the managing director of CMRL, which again shows the arrogant attitude of the management towards the workers."