RailEnquiry

LUCKNOW: The Railway Budget 2013-14 paves the way for employment generation in UP. With a rail wheel factory and a workshop for periodic overhauling of wagons proposed to be set up in the state, at least 2,000-odd people are expected to get employment.The rail wheel factory proposed at Rae Bareli would be the second such unit in Indian Railways, after the one functional in Bangalore. The rail wheel factory would make wheels on which the trains run by casting the molten material into moulds of wheels. Given the fact that Rae Bareli coach factory would roll out 1,000 extra coaches in a year, demand for wheels would shoot up too. To take the burden off the Bangalore factory and to cut down manufacturing cost by saving on transportation charges, setting up a rail wheel factory in Rae Bareli is a well contemplated move.How much employment would the factory generate will depend on its status: will it be an independent endeavour or set up as a part of the existing rail coach factory at Rae Bareli."Even in the smallest possible assessment, not less than 800 to 900 people will work in the factory," said sources in the railways. The wheel factory uses metal scrap of railways to make wheels. As the Rail Budget 2013-14 has already announced generating Rs 4,500 crore by way of scrap-dealing, Rae Bareli forged wheel factory might help railways meet the target. The factory would also give rise to allied industries. Since the coach factory already exists in Rae Bareli, a forged wheel factory would give impetus to transporters and scrap dealers. Similarly, the workshop for periodic overhauling of wagons in Pratapgarh would employ an additional force of 1,000-odd people.

"Railway workshops and factories employ lot of supporting staff and that's certain to give boost to employment," added sources. However, what can't accrue an immediate employment benefits to Pratapgarh and Rae Bareli is the fact that railway projects have a long gestation period. "But whenever factories start they will employ a good number of people," said sources. The railway workshops and factories are into safety-related work. This would check railways from outsourcing these units. And, this would require committed railway personnel to work in the factories for which railways would recruit new people.

A Rail Neer bottling plant at Lalitpur would generate employment in one of the most backward regions of UP. The Rae Bareli rail coach factory, commissioning of which was announced in the Rail Budget 2013-14, has recruited 1,450 people. The people have been employed as part of the compensation package for land acquired for the Rae Bareli coach factory.

The division has about 4,000 vacancies. Most of the applicants would be accommodated in Group-D jobs, but the qualified ones will be employed in signaling, electrical and other departments, depending on eligibility. Lucknow division of Northern Railway has some 4,000 vacancies. People in the wheel factory and workshop might be employed under Group-D and also as technical staff and supervisors.