Indian Railways says no to meals and toilet breaks for Loco Pilots  

The railways defended the installation of Crew Voice & Video Recording System in loco cabins saying it was not a breach of privacy. File
| Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal

The Indian Railways has rejected a long-pending demand of Loco Pilots to provide a break for having meals and attending nature’s call while on duty. Accepting the recommendations of a high-level committee, the Railway Board said legislation of breaks for meal and attending nature’s call was not operationally feasible.

The decision comes amidst an increasing major train accidents across the country where human error was often attributed as the reason.

The railways also defended the installation of Crew Voice & Video Recording System in loco cabins saying it was not a breach of privacy. The facility would serve the purpose of assistance and support to the crew in post event analysis.

“It does not cause any additional workload on the crew, this is only a tool for enhancing operational effectiveness and ensure safe running of trains,” the Railway Board said in a communication issued to General Managers of all Zonal Railways.

High-speed limit enhanced

On the recommendations of the multi-disciplinary committee comprising five Executive Directors of the Railway Board and the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the research arm of the railways, the definition of High-Speed Trains was increased from the existing 110 kmph to 130 kmph. The committee also recommended that an Assistant Loco Pilot be deployed in Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) trains operating for distances exceeding 200 kmph or more.

The All India Loco Running Staff Association condemned the decision of the Railway Board which was based on the recommendations of the multi-disciplinary committee, which the association said, were unrealistic and unfounded. In a letter to the Chief Executive Officer/Chairman Railway Board, AILRSA, secretary-general K.C. James said the committee had failed to conduct job evaluation to assess the increase in stress level of Loco Pilots with the increase in the speed from 110 to 130 kmph. The outright denial of break for attending nature’s call with no toilet facility in locomotives was unacceptable, he said.

AILRSA central organising secretary V. Balachandran said many superfast trains had not-stop run from about 6-7 hours. For instance, a crew taking charge of the New Delhi-Chennai Tamil Nadu Express at Vijayawada at 11.10 p.m has to run the train non-stop till it reaches Chennai at 6.35 am the next morning. “The plight of women Loco Pilots is even worse. On high-density routes, superfast express trains cannot be stopped in mid-section or wayside stations unless it is an emergency,” he said.

Mr. Balachandran contended that when a Loco Pilot is unable to eat or control nature’s call, there would be distraction compromising the level of alertness. There have been several recommendations to review the long working hours of Loco Pilots and their working conditions post investigation into train accidents caused due to trains passing the signal at danger.

He said Crew Voice & Video Recording System in loco cabins was nothing but an intrusion of privacy. The footage was often used to punish Loco Pilots for bodily postures or even yawning by accusing them of not taking adequate rest before joining duty.