Hyderabad: Many loco pilots from the Hyderabad and Secunderabad divisions held a protest on Tuesday. They demanded 16 and a half hours of rest between shifts and a limit on consecutive night duties to two days. These demands were based on recommendations made by high-level committees.
The protestors highlighted that a High Power Committee had recommended the running staff should get 16 and a half hours of rest periodically. This amounts to 40 hours of rest, given four times a month. Additionally, the committee suggested reducing back-to-back night shifts. However, these recommendations have not been implemented. Protestors complained that they are still being forced to work up to 20 hours at a stretch, which they say is unsafe for train operations. They also called for reducing the time they spend away from their headquarters to 48 hours, with the goal of eventually bringing it down to 36 hours.
Sainath, one of the loco pilots, voiced his concerns, saying that the railways are not hiring enough loco pilots and have not enforced the rule of a 10-hour workday. He explained that the main reason for the difficulties faced by the running staff is the large number of vacancies in almost all job categories. He noted that the number of train services has increased significantly, including many special trains, but these have not been factored in when counting the required staff. Currently, there are around 18,799 vacant positions for assistant loco pilots across Indian Railways, including in the South Central Railways. This shortage has led to a decline in the physical and mental health of the running staff.
Another protestor, Jilani Basha, a member of the All India Loco Running Staff Association, added that the long working hours have severely affected the personal lives of the staff members. He emphasized that loco pilots have lost their family and social lives because of their demanding schedules. Basha urged officials to quickly fill the vacant positions, as the current workload is becoming unbearable. He also mentioned that despite raising these issues several times in the past, their concerns have not been addressed. He expressed hope that the South Central Railway would soon take action to resolve their problems.
