Training for hawkers' community in railways should be in place

02 March, 2013

It is observed that some rowdy hawkers' community are involved in sabotaging railway's property. It could be possible that out of the entire rowdy elements who indulge in sabotage activities of public properties such as railways, and buses, could also be found amongst the hawkers' community.

Recently, while travelling, many passengers were seeing how a couple of hawkers enjoyed breaking down to pieces a burning light bulb, and its overall fittings inside a general compartment of a moving super fast train.

The loss estimated could be around Rs. 100 to Rs. 200 for replacing this entire fitting. Time delays involved could be anybody's guess. Soon after this incident, and once these hawkers had left, some passengers were commenting that Railways are providing them avenues for earning bread and butter and in return they are doing this injustice - a Hindi proverb was used (jis thaali mein khate ho, use mein ched karto ho!).

Coincidentally, in the adjoining areas one toilet was not having any light functioning and another one was having open windows with protecting glass/placing stuff broken down, and kept on the floor. Who could have done this is anybody's guess!

Concerned authorites can do well to ensure that Railway Protection Force and others similarly placed keep a good eye on the entire hawker's community doing business in the railways. Perhaps, a rule can be framed mandating all the hawkers community to undergo some sort of training before being inducted as official hawkers. In this training everything should be taught including treating properties of railways as a national treasure.