CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President Selvaperunthagai on Sunday strongly criticised the Union BJP government’s reported move to reduce around 29,608 posts in Indian Railways, calling it anti-worker and detrimental to public service and passenger safety.

In a statement, Selvaperunthagai said the decision to cut nearly 2% of the workforce from a total strength of about 14.8 lakh employees, particularly in the safety category, was ‘deeply concerning’ and unacceptable.

Highlighting the regional impact, the TNCC chief noted that around 1,906 posts in Southern Railway alone are expected to be affected, which could directly impact railway services in southern states.

He cautioned that the move would lead to a decline in service quality and could also raise serious concerns about passenger safety.

Reducing manpower while expanding services, he argued, would strain the system and undermine efficiency.