In a joint decision, the members of Chhattisgarh Railway Commission Vendors Association (CRCVA) and Raipur city district Congress Committee on Thursday announced to go on hunger strike, if the authorities fail to close down what they term as an ‘illegal’ food-stall being operated at the Raipur railway station within the next 48 hours.
“The authorities have awarded the contract to M/s HD & Sons for operating an ‘eatery’ at the platform no. 1, while the contractor has been operating two food-stalls here, which is an open violation of the contract rules” said Congress leader, Vikas Upadhyay in a press release issued here on Thursday.
The members of both the organisations led by Upadhyay handed over a memorandum to the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (SDCM), seeking his intervention into the matter.
“Earlier, the Railway authorities had slapped a penalty of Rs 50,000 on M/s Sun Shine Caters Pvt ltd for operating two food-stalls on the licence of one ‘eatery’. The Railways had also cancelled their contract and reassigned it to M/s HD & Sons but to no avail as the latter also got indulged in similar ‘illegal’ activity of operating two food-stalls here” claimed Upadhyay.
While submitting the memorandum, the Association’s members urged the Railway official of closing down the illegal food-stall, which is causing them financial losses, within 48 hours or they will sit on a hunger strike.