Memorandum to Minister for Railways-

Memorandum submitted to Sri: PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL,

Hon`ble . Minister for Railways on 02.01.2013 at Calicut, Kerala

Respected sir,

Sub:- Reduction of duty hours and implementation of SPAD directives of Railway Board

All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) representing Loco Pilots and Asst. Loco Pilots of Indian Railways heartily welcome your good self on the occasion of the first visit in Palakkad/ Trivandrum Divisions after assuming the office of Minister of Nations prestigious Railway. We also extend sincere support to your august office for all your endeavor for improving the safety, economical stability and overall growth of Indian Railways.

Loco Running Staff of Indian Railways strive hard round the clock for the 365 days in an year irrespective of extreme adverse climate to ensure the wheel of the nation always on the move. The introduction of colour light signalling, high carrying capacity wagon, high power engine, electrification etc. though improved the speed and productivity of Indian Railway, working condition of Loco Running Staff are deteriorated over the year.

 In spite of technological advancement and there by improved working condition in many sector of Indian Railways, the working condition of loco running staff remain pathetic. Running staff especially in Goods Train are forced to work 14-16 hours at a stretch. Due to absence of Calendar day weekly rest even Mail/ Express loco pilots have to work all the 365 days in an year with 6 continuous night duty. A high power committee constituted by the Railway Board in the year 2010, to review the working hours and allied matters of Loco Running Staff, have not yet submitted the report.

The human elements in the accidents of Indian Railway are on the rise, Loco Pilots Signal Passing At Danger (SPAD) and causing accidents are alarmingly on the rise. In the wake of spate in SPAD cases Railway Board held a serious meeting of all high level Officers of Indian Railways on 12-06-2012 to discuss the steps to be taken to bring down such cases and thus to improve the safety of Indian Railways. The meeting explored all the finer points that leading to SPAD and issued 58 vital directives to all General Managers of Indian Railways to implement effectively.

The major directives of the said committee are to restrict continuous night duty to 2/3, calendar day weekly rest, adequate rest before each spell of duties, improvement of running room conditions, restriction of Mail/Express duty to 6 hrs. and uniform cab design etc. But no steps are taken so far to implement the above directives. Working hours of goods crew till remain unchanged. Mail/Passenger crew link were not adjusted to implement the suggestions of SPAD meeting to bring down the SPAD cases. We request your august office to implement the Railway Board Directives on to improve the safety of Railway.

We expect your benign consideration on the above matters and allocate sufficient funds through budgetary proposals in forth coming Railway Budget for the implementation of SPAD meeting directives of Railway Board to improve the safety standards of Indian Railways.

Thanking you

                                                                    Yours faithfully

                                                       

                                                                                                                       

CALICUT                                                                (L. MONY)

02.01.2013                                                Central President/AILRSA

Copy to:

1. Sri. Kotla Jayasurya Prakash Reddy

Minister of State for Railways

2. Sri. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Minister of State for Railways

3. Chairman, Railway Board

4. General Manager, Southern Railway

5. DRM/PGT,

6. DRM/TVC