AITCA demands higher grade

Chennai, Mar 4 (UNI) The All India Train Controller's Association (AITCA) today demanded that the railway controllers be placed higher than the Class-II officer and Class-I provisional officers as was done by the Third Pay Commission in 1973.

A resolution, urging the Railway Board and the Sixth Pay Commission, which is hearing the views of the Railway members, to this effect was adopted at the Zonal General meeting of the AITCA, in which the National Executive members of the association participated.

Talking to reporters, after the meeting, Association National Secretary Anil Bharda said the Third Pay Commission placed the controllers higher than the officers.

But the Fourth Commission had placed the controllers on par with the officers and the Fifth Commission had lowered their grade.

''We wanted the pay commission to restore the status quo'', he said.

The demand assumes significance as the Sixth Pay Commission would have its sitting in Chennai from tomorrow.

''We will place this demand before the commission through the National Federation of Indian Railways'', he said.

The meeting also urged the Railways to desist from posting de-categorised people in control cadre and payment of 30 per cent of basic pay as stress allowance as against 50 per cent being paid to Air Traffic controllers.

The meeting also urged the Railway Board to fill up the vacancies of controllers across the country.

UNI