During the celebration of the Engineers’ Day, the birth anniversary of Sir Visvesvaraya held at the Railway Institute here on Monday, members of the East Coast Railway Engineers’ Association (ECoREA) demanded Bharat Ratna award to eminent engineer E Sreedharan.
The ECoREA honoured engineer-turned political leader Balabhadra Mjahi for his performance during his 26 years service in railway. Majhi completed zonal headquarters building Rail Sadan and Cuttack-Paradip railway line doubling in time.
“Since 1954, only one engineer has been awarded with most prestigious Bharat Ratna till date, and being a developing country, more engineers should be considered for this prestigious award. E Sreedharan is the right person, who has completed the most difficult Konkan Railway line and world-class Delhi Metro Railway in time,” said ECoREA general secretary Bobin Mohanty.
ECoREA president Sudhamaya Bajapayi demanded upgradation of the status of all engineers from group-C to group-B as group-D has been upgraded to group-C by eliminating group-D. He argued for recognition of the All India Railway Engineers’ Federation (AIREF) to separate railway engineers from labuor unions because labour unions have not been representing railway engineers properly before 7th Central Pay Commission. More than 250 engineers with families attended the celebration. School student Shreya Smruti Mohanty, daughter of ECoREA member Tushar Mohanty, was felicitated with cash award for getting gold medal in national school chess championship and bronze medal in Asia school chess championship and for selection to participate in world school chess championship in Brazil.