Loco pilots have complained of poor infrastructure in locomotives and rest houses.
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The Railways has constituted a high-level committee to decide on the working and rest hours of loco pilots and assistant loco pilots.
The move comes in the backdrop of a series of train accidents resulting in the deaths of several passengers and railway employees across the country. In many cases, the loco pilots were accused of violating safety rules and held responsible for the accidents.
The issue gained momentum after Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi met members of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) in New Delhi and Sultanpur railway stations and assured them that he would take up their grievances, especially the poor facilities in locomotives and rest houses.
On Friday, the Railway Board issued orders constituting a high-level committee comprising the Principal Executive Director (Traffic), Additional Member (Staff) and Additional Member (Traction) to examine “the implementation and compliance of accepted recommendations of High Power Committee (HPC) with special focus on outstation rest, headquarters rest, periodical rest, working hours and compliance of Hours of Employment Rules (HOER).”
The committee to be headquartered in Delhi was asked to submit its report within one month. Besides, the Railway Board also instructed senior officers across its network to inspect locomotives and rest houses of loco running staff to check availability of basic infrastructural amenities, sources in Southern Railway told The Hindu on Wednesday.
In recent months, members of the AILRSA organised many protests and gave representations to the General Managers of Zonal Railways highlighting their long pending grievances. Some MPs from Tamil Nadu also met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to discuss the problems faced by loco pilots, such as lack of toilet facilities in locomotives and poor amenities in running rooms (rest houses).
