NEW DELHI: The
Railway Board
has constituted a multi-disciplinary committee to look into the
grievances
of the
loco pilots
and train managers (guards) raised by their unions. The
panel
will submit a report within a month. This comes after recent train accidents and opposition MPs, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, rasing the issues of loco pilots and other loco running staff.
As per the notification, the multi-disciplinary panel will deliberate, engage with federations and submit a holistic recommendation on the issues and grievances of loco running staff raised by recognised and un-recognised unions.
It consists of five executive directors (EDs) from different departments of the Railway Board and one ED (traffic) from the RDSO (Research Designs and Standards Organisation).
The committee will review issues such as legislation on break for a meal and attending nature's call, duty hours, periodic tests and deployment of manpower and their utilisation, change of definition of high-speed trains to 130 kmph from the existing 110 kmph and deployment of assistant loco pilots in trains up to (including) the speed of 130 kmph.
So far as the aptitude test of loco pilots and assistant loco pilots is concerned, the Railway Board has said that the panel will also look into the issues of whether “to make qualifying the aptitude test mandatory at the stage of promotion itself”. The Board wants the panel to decide regarding the redeployment of
drivers
who have failed the aptitude test after SPAD (jumping of red signal).
We also published the following articles recently
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw slams Congress over loco pilot work allegations
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw defends loco pilots' work conditions against Congress criticism, emphasizing improved cabs and resting facilities. Loco pilots' duty hours are monitored and average below 8 hours per trip. Association calls for better rest periods to be addressed.
English (US) ·