MUMBAI, July 22: Motormen and engine drivers of both Central and Western railways have put off their rail roko agitation till Thursday. According to S V Hardikar, member of the Joint Motormen Forum, they are awaiting a message from senior leaders in Delhi.

Sore over the Fifth Pay Commission not grading their pay scales as desired by them, 700-odd suburban motormen had earlier decided to disrupt traffic late on Tuesday night or Wednesday itself. The decision to launch rail roko was taken at a meeting of the CR-WR Motormen Unity Forum at the CST on Tuesday evening, but put off late at night after they decided to await the Delhi message. Attended by at least 300 motormen, the forum earlier in the evening swore to teach the Railway Board and the railway minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, a ``lesson.'' Raising anti-administration slogans, they demanded that the Pay Commission, which has merged the pay scales of two grades of motormen, should review it decision. The commission has proposed to merge the two scales - Rs 1600-Rs 2,660 and Rs 1,640-Rs 2,900 - into one common scale of Rs 5,500-Rs 9,900.

The motormen, after pointing out the anomalies in the recommendations, demanded that a new pay scale Rs 7,000-Rs 11,500 be devised.

They feel if the new scale (proposed by the commission) is implemented, it would result in at least 50 per cent of the motormen taking home lesser salaries than they have been earning now.

The motormen, both of the CR and WR, had organised several agitations including dharnas, gate meetings and morchas to voice their protests.

They had also approached the apex body - the Joint Consultative Machinery.However, to their dismay, barring a few recommendations, the union government announced the implementation of the report in its entirety with effect from January 1, 1996.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.