Title - Labour dispute hits Metro work

Kochi: Labor disputes once again disrupted the Kochi Metro works, which has already suffered six man days, forcing the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to demand a Labor policy to be issued by the State Government.

Contractor Soma Constructions, which is entrusted with work of the third reach from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to South railway station, said it’s suspending the work after employee union at the Cheranellor casting yard demanded inclusion of more local employees in the work.

“The contractor informed us the civil works at Kaloor has to be suspended due to this, besides that, in the casting yard. We’ve already lost six man days. Though we could make up the lost days so far, we can’t afford further stopping of works if it has to be completed in 843 days from now. The State Government should roll out a labor policy which should be accepted by all party involved,” said a senior DMRC official.

While 1000 days are remaining, before the end of the official deadline, as announced by the Chief Minister, during the project inauguration, it’s only 843 days as per the internal deadline set by the DMRC.

“While the Kochi Metro project will ensure that workers are not denied any of their rights, all of us involved in the implementation of the project are anxious to ensure that the work is not disrupted on account of any labor dispute,” said KMRL MD Elias George, who assured immediate action to resolve the dispute.

The additional cost on account of any kind of delay will have to be borne by the Government and the people of Kerala.  Issues or grievances related to labor welfare can be settled through dialogue and discussion, but the work should be allowed to go on without any kind of interruption, he said. 

Meanwhile, the CITU categorically said that their workers were not the cause for stopping the Metro work at the casting yard. “The sub-contractor stopped the work due to non-availability of funds,” K.N. Gopinath, CITU leader, said.