TRB personnel in Surat to stay away from work today in protest: Congress

A large number of TRB personnel met Congress’ Kalpesh Barot and the party’s legal cell leader, advocate Zamir Shaikh, on Tuesday evening. “All TRB personnel in Surat will remain on off duty on Wednesday and gather at the district collector’s office. They will hand over a memorandum demanding that the notification be withdrawn. On November 27, they will also sit on a dharna outside the Surat railway station,” Barot said.

Zamir Shaikh added, “Such a notification issued is unconstitutional and we will challenge it in the Gujarat High Court.”

Over 9,000 traffic brigades serve in Gujarat, assisting the traffic police department. According to the November 19 notification, time limit should be fixed on how long such personnel can work as TRB personnel. The notification had said that over 1,100 personnel who have completed 10 years of service are still serving, while 3,000 have completed five years and 2,300 completed three years.

TRB personnel Anita Thakore Parmar (40), who has been on the job for 15 years, said: “My husband died two years ago and I have to raise two children. My son is 4 years old and my daughter studies in Class VIII. Many TRB personnel in Surat are over 40 years of age and majority of them are women, single parents or widows. The TRB job is our only source of income.”

Another TRB personnel, Ujwala Wankhede, said that at present, TRB personnel get Rs 300 per day as salary and have demanded a raise.

Despite repeated attempts, Surat Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anita Vanani could not be contacted for a comment.