Report on AILRSA Dharna at Hubli

Today's Paper » NATIONAL » KARNATAKA   HUBLI, March 15, 2013

Loco running staff demand steps to bring down accidents

Staff Correspondent

 

Members of the Hubli division of the All India Railway Loco Running Staff Association staging a dharna in Hubli on Thursday.

Members of the Hubli division of the All-India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) staged a dharna outside the office of the general manager of South Western Railway here on Thursday demanding that the Railway Ministry implement the recommendations on bringing down the number of accidents involving the Railways.

The protesters said that a high-level safety review committee set up by the Railway Ministry after the Kalaka Mail accident on July 10, 2011, had suggested doing away with level crossing gates.

It also recommended that the vacancies of supervisors and staff in safety category should be filled in a time-bound manner.

The committee found that there were 7,832 vacancies of loco pilots, 568 posts of motorman, 1,679 posts of shunters, and 7,040 posts of assistant loco pilots.

They said the Railway Board had convened a meeting on June 12 last year following the Hampi Express accident and circulated suggestions containing 58 recommendations to reduce signal passing at danger cases. However, no steps had been taken so far on, they alleged.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to the general manager, SWR.

M.S. Venkatesh Murthy, general secretary, Nairutya Railway Employees Union; S.D. Arnold, zonal president, AILRSA; and C. Sunish, general secretary, AILRSA, were present.