Representation to CRS

ALL INDIA LOCO RUNNING STAFF ASSOCIATION
Regd. No: 17903 H/Q Yellow Building, P.O. - Anara, R.S. Distt. – Purulia (W.B) Pin. No: - 723126 Central Office: AILRSA BHAWAN, H. No: 333, Bhoor Bharat Nagar,
Ghaziabad – 201001.Tel. No. : 0120-2740025

CHENNAI DIVISION
SOUTH ZONE
Sri Chakra Flats, No.1 Mannadi Othavadai Street, Villivakkam, Chennai 600 049.
e-mail:ailrsachennai@gmail.com
President: E.RAGHAVAN ;Treasurer: K.S.PERUMAL; Secretary : S.NARASIMHAN
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Date: 7th MAY 2009


To
Shri K.J.S.Naidu,
Commissioner of Railway Safety,
Southern Circle,
Bangalore.

Sir,
Sub: Submission of representation regarding the unfortunate incident at VPY, MAS division of Southern Railway on 29.04.2009 – reg.

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We on behalf of all India Loco Running Staff association, an association comprising loco pilots (mail& Express, passenger, goods), motormen, loco pilot (shunting) and Assistant Loco Pilots submit the following lines to your high office in connection with the said subject.

I. Wider views of press, media and Railway officials about the accident is the control keys of the EMU has gone to unauthorized person. Had the authorized Motorman kept the control keys with him or not left the EMU, this accident could have been avoided for which the reason attributed by a section of Railway official is the Rule SR 4.19(vi) not being followed.

In this respect to clear the cloud this Organization submits the practice and the procedure in vogue which has been followed from the inception of BG EMU service in Chennai division of Southern Railway for over 25 years.

The booked Driver / Motorman will report 10 minutes in advance of the train departure at the departure end where he will take charge of the EMU with relevant control keys. (Vide Standing order no 51 of CCC/BG/MAS REF: AC NO: 12, dated 10.10.2008 enclosed as Annexure-I). Since then he becomes in charge of the EMU till the train arrives the destination and hand over the keys.

The definition of the Driver as per GR 1.02(19) says “Driver means the engine driver or any other competent railway servant for the time being in charge of driving a train.” As per the definition, the Driver is responsible to the particular train only 10 minutes in advance of the departure of the train and 5 minutes after the arrival of the destination or at the nominated place where Driver will change.

With regard to GR 4.19(1) this Association submits the following. GR 4.19(1) states “each Guard and Driver shall have with him while on duty with his train, the following equipments……”

SR 4.19(vi) states “For Motorman, in addition to the items required to b e given for electric loco drivers, the following items shall also be provided:-

(1) Reversing keys for the operation of the Master Controller.
(2) Control keys.

In this context this Organization is of the view even as per the rule provision of the GR 1.02(19) and GR 4.19(1) and SR 4.19(vi) the Driver is responsible with regards to keys from 10 minutes before the departure of the train and upto 5 minutes after arrival at the destination or at the nominated place where Driver will change.

This Organization finally submits either as per the practice in vogue at MAS Central Suburban terminal and as per the provisions of rule also the Motorman is responsible for the controlling keys of MT 3 only from 0505 hrs on the day of accident i.e. on 29.04.2009 as such the Motorman is in no way responsible for an unauthorized person having access to the Control keys of the EMU which met with unfortunate accident.

II. The present practice of the nomination of EMU rakes for working train will be known to the Driver only after reporting at the departure end 10 minutes before the departure of the train(through public addressing system) except while taking over charge in Shed.

III. This organization suggests even by providing the Reversor and Control keys as Motorman’s equipments, this kind of accident cannot be averted unless the unique key system with the record of handing over and taking over is introduced.


IV. After the VPY accident on 29.04.2009 Motormen are instructed through standing orders that the Reversor key, BIV keys 2 nos. and BL key totaling 4 are supplied and enforced to carry the above keys at all times irrespective of ON duty or OFF duty. Custody of keys with the OFF duty staff is in no way helpful to improve safety and to avert this kind of accident. Hence it is submitted operating keys are to be in the custody of Motorman only while on duty with proper handing over and taking over procedures.

This submission is made by our organization keeping in mind the safety and accident free train operation in Railways as a whole.

Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,


(S.NARASIMHAN)
09942902551



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