Southern Railway withdraws plan to have single crew for high-speed trains
The Hindu
Southern Railway withdraws plan to introduce single crew on high-speed trains due to safety issues and difficulties faced by Loco Pilots. Meeting with SRMU representatives led to decision to call off plan. Violation of HOER norms, lack of time for nature's call & food, and health risks for senior Loco Pilots cited as reasons.
The Southern Railway on Tuesday withdrew its proposal to introduce single crew on end-to-end basis on high-speed trains such as Vande Bharat, Tejas and Shatabdi Expresses.
To get today’s top stories from the State in your inbox, subscribe to our Tamil Nadu Today newsletter
The decision to call off the plan to have a single beat crew comprising a Loco Pilot and Assistant Loco Pilot from the originating station to the destination on these trains was taken after the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union led by its general secretary N. Kanniah raised objections by flagging safety issues and other difficulties the Loco Pilots would have to face in long duration of working hours.
Acting on the instructions of the General Manager, train operating officials had sent out a circular that single crew single on end-to-end basis was planned in Train No 20665/20666 Chennai Egmore-Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express, Train No 20643/20644 Chennai Central-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express, Train No. 22671/22672 Chennai Egmore-Madurai MS-MDU Express and Train No 12243/12244 Chennai Central-Coimbatore Shatabdi Express.
A section of the Loco Pilots and trade unions expressed serious concern over the move as it could affect safety and also put the Loco Pilots to a lot of difficulties as they would not be in a position to have food and attend nature’s call during long working hours without any break in the high-speed trains.
On Monday, Southern Railway convened an urgent meeting with SRMU representatives. While the Principal Chief Operating Manager N. Sreekumar explained the reasons for the proposed single crew beat and requested the union to offer their views, Mr. Kanniah made it clear that the single crew beat system could not be implemented in the interest of safety of passengers and Loco Pilots.
He said that going by the Hours of Employment and Period of Rest (HOER) rules, 8 hours of a duty involving continuous action for more than 6 hours was classified as “intensive”.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.