GUWAHATI, Aug 30 � The Kamrup Chamber of Commerce (KCC) has served a 15-days ultimatum to the NF Railways to withdraw its circular notifying extension of working hours at the Guwahati (NGC) goods shed and to revoke the hike in demurrage charges.
Accusing the NF Railways of indirectly contributing to the sufferings of the consumers hard hit by the recent inflation, the KCC warned that it would curtail goods imported to the State if the NF Railway does not concede to its �genuine� demand.
The KCC further said that the NF Railways will be solely responsible for the scarcity of essential items in the State following such as a drastic step by the business community.
Addressing media persons here, KCC president MP Jain said that the NF Railways has ignored issues like improvement of logistic support and working condition in the NGC goods shed repeatedly pointed out by the KCC.
It needs to be mentioned here that the KCC has been demanding provision of basic facilities like more covered sheds, rest rooms, proper lighting, toilets etc in the NGC good shed. The KCC has been complaining about deplorable condition between various placement lines which makes it almost impossible to place the trucks for unloading during rainy season.
�At present covered shed available at the NGC goods shed is totally insufficient to handle even the present load, and extension of working hours will make the situation chaotic,� said Jain adding that the railways should first go for construction of new platforms and covered sheds before extending the working hours.
The NF Railways have extended the working hours upto 12 am which was earlier upto 10 pm in the NGC goods shed with effect from August 17. Jain said that labourers and truck owners refuse to work after 7 or 8 pm and the business community has to forego a part of the present working hours. �In other words extension of working hours will lead to collection of more demurrage charges and not facilitate release of goods,� remarked Jain pointing out to the various constraints in releasing the wagons in time leading to huge demurrage charges.
The NF Railways have increased the demurrage charges from Rs 100 to Rs 200 per hour per wagon and the KCC alleged that the railways have been behaving in an arbitrary way against the interest of the people of the State.
Jain said that if infrastructure is not improved, the business community will have to incur huge demurrage charges leaving them with no other option but to raise the prices of the essential goods.
The average release at the NGC good shed is 3.5 rakes per day. �Even after being aware of such statistics, the railways at times place 6 to 7 rakes knowing well that they cannot be released and this would generate more revenue as demurrage charges,� said Jain mentioning that people of the State would have got succour from the price rise if the railways had improved the infrastructure.
GUWAHATI, Aug 30 � The Kamrup Chamber of Commerce (KCC) has served a 15-days ultimatum to the NF Railways to withdraw its circular notifying extension of working hours at the Guwahati (NGC) goods shed and to revoke the hike in demurrage charges.
Accusing the NF Railways of indirectly contributing to the sufferings of the consumers hard hit by the recent inflation, the KCC warned that it would curtail goods imported to the State if the NF Railway does not concede to its �genuine� demand.
The KCC further said that the NF Railways will be solely responsible for the scarcity of essential items in the State following such as a drastic step by the business community.
Addressing media persons here, KCC president MP Jain said that the NF Railways has ignored issues like improvement of logistic support and working condition in the NGC goods shed repeatedly pointed out by the KCC.
It needs to be mentioned here that the KCC has been demanding provision of basic facilities like more covered sheds, rest rooms, proper lighting, toilets etc in the NGC good shed. The KCC has been complaining about deplorable condition between various placement lines which makes it almost impossible to place the trucks for unloading during rainy season.
�At present covered shed available at the NGC goods shed is totally insufficient to handle even the present load, and extension of working hours will make the situation chaotic,� said Jain adding that the railways should first go for construction of new platforms and covered sheds before extending the working hours.
The NF Railways have extended the working hours upto 12 am which was earlier upto 10 pm in the NGC goods shed with effect from August 17. Jain said that labourers and truck owners refuse to work after 7 or 8 pm and the business community has to forego a part of the present working hours. �In other words extension of working hours will lead to collection of more demurrage charges and not facilitate release of goods,� remarked Jain pointing out to the various constraints in releasing the wagons in time leading to huge demurrage charges.
The NF Railways have increased the demurrage charges from Rs 100 to Rs 200 per hour per wagon and the KCC alleged that the railways have been behaving in an arbitrary way against the interest of the people of the State.
Jain said that if infrastructure is not improved, the business community will have to incur huge demurrage charges leaving them with no other option but to raise the prices of the essential goods.
The average release at the NGC good shed is 3.5 rakes per day. �Even after being aware of such statistics, the railways at times place 6 to 7 rakes knowing well that they cannot be released and this would generate more revenue as demurrage charges,� said Jain mentioning that people of the State would have got succour from the price rise if the railways had improved the infrastructure.
