Times of India supported views of IRLRO --31-05-2012

Dear comrades

Times  of India Supported the points raised by IRLRO and bad working conditions of loco Pilots

Kindly support IRLRO

SK pandhi

Dear Srinand Jha Ji--

Thanks for getting to the root of problems behind most train accidents in India.

Time has come for Govt of India to immediately order Judicial probe into this accident and announce setting up of rail regulator in India, and Independent Safety Organisation.

As other three modes of transport - Road, Air and Sea are regulated by State RTO's, Director General Civil Aviatioon and Director General Shipping,  Indian Rail transports are regulated by Railway Board and DMRC. 

No where one can find such set where transport operator is self - regulating itself and acting as judge in its own case.  

As for rail accidents caused by Indian Railway Drivers --- Please see the Hours of Work rules and Safety violation by Railway Board ---

1.   Mr. KV Raghunath Reddy - Minister of labour - Govt of India - on 13-08-1973--- signed a written agreement to limit drivers duty hours to 10 hours in single duty.

This agreement was welcomed by the Parliament unanimously.

Railway Board without any legal authority -- changed duty hours to 12 Hours + + 1 Hours + indefinite Hours duty in 1992.

2.  There is no provision of time allowed for Food / Refreshment / Natural call  for railway drivers. --- Railways Act 1989 - has no provisions. All workers-Including army men during peace duties are allowed break for meals etc after maximum 05 hours of duty every where in the world -- except Indian Railway Drivers.  

3.  Periodical rest -- (weekly rest) have very vague provision of rest of 30 hours - 04 nos OR 22 Hours - 05 numbers in a calender month -- but after how many number of days / hours the first/second/third/fourth rest shall be provided is not mentioned --- application criteria of Periodical rest is not mentioned in the Act.

4.  There is no upper limit of night duties to be done by engine crew -- no provision in the rules.

5. Railway Rules provide for train drivers can be put to work a train after taking only 06 hours rest for last duty less than 8 hours, and maximum rest hours of 08 hours are allowed even if the last duty is 12/13/14/-- upto 20 hours.

6.  In most countries there is a complete ban on over time working by train drivers in the interest of passenger safety, but indian railway drivers are en couraged to work over time and are paid Over Time allowance upto few thousand rupees a month.

7. Indian railway drivers are the most critical safety category that have no protection of fixed duty hours/compulsory rest/fixed night duties/time allowed for food etc, and hence have become vulnerable for rail safety in India.

It is most important to see that since independence even though there had been  very high number of accidents, only group C and D employees are punished for violation of safety and accidents--- Not a single Group B and A officer have been held responsible for any accident,  there is no provision in the rules to frame organisational responsibility upon administrators  of Indian Railway from Bottom to top. This system of No-Responsibility Regime suits the caretakers of  

Indian Railways,  There fore no. of accidents  are happening with regularity. 

All stake holders must understand one basic thing ----- Railway Board is a business organisation but its chairman is entrusted with  powers to Issue Gazette Notification as Govt. of India being Ex-officio Principal Secretary to the Govt of India. These Dual powers makes The Chairman as Business Head - That causes train accidents and escapes any responsibility being Executive of Govt. Of India.

The best solution is Put Railway Board under The Ministry of Railways Headed by Principal secy. to Govt of India from IAS cadre only. Let CRB report to Secy. Min. oF railways -- only then the responsibility of train accidents can be independently fixed ,and railway board made answerable to public directly.

Hope these issues shall find audience among all concerned.

IRLRO is ready to provide our suggestions.

Thanks and Regards.

IRLRO's Pamphlet -- Historical Win

Irlro-locopilot Tradeunion

IRLRO's pamphlet for loco runningmen to understand the level of fight we are giving to railway board and now the last level of Honorable Supreme Court to win.

Please help to fight this case with your support, and financial assistance.

Loco Running Staff's biggest achievement -- 30 + 16 Hrs. Periodical Rest Case

IRLRO Congratulates all Loco Runningmen on the biggest ever achievement for this cadre.

IRLRO won Periodical Rest (PR) case at Honorable High Court - Karnataka on 13-04-2012.

The honorable court ordered to allow 30 hrs (periodical Rest) + 16 Hrs. Head Quarter Rest --- a total of 46 Hours rest
                                         OR
30 hrs PR + Double wages for 16 hours.

This is one of the most important Historical achievements of Loco Runningmen in last more than 150 years in India.

Let us salute Sh. M.R. Sabapathy - MA -LLB - our Honorary President and fellow Advocates in helping this category.

Next Level of fight is before the honorable Supereme Court.

IRLRO requests all of you to very generously Contribute to struggle fund to fight this case and get justice.

For Contributions kindly contact at 09717632196 / 09794847045 / 09345994309

SK Pandhi
Central Working President

Loco Running Staff's HOER under Threat to be more Regressive under Rly. Bd. Appointed ILLEGAL High Power Committee on HOER

Dear Loco Running Men,


Be aware about the facts on The High Power Committee on (Hours of employment rules ) HOER by Railway Board appointed in May-2011.


IRLRO warns the Loco Running men not to get trapped in this big plan of Railway Board.


IRLRO's opinions are based on the following facts.


1.   The Railway Board Have NO LEGAL AUTHORITY to announce any Committee on HOER. Chapter 14 of Railways Act 1989 states that Chief Labor Commissioner - Central - Ministry of Labor - shall administer This chapter on HOER of Railway employees.


2.  The Rules states that Jt. Secy. Min. of Labor can appoint a National Industrial Tribunal (NIT) under chairman ship of a High Court / Supreme court judge shall be constituted to decide duty hours of employees working in more than one state.


3.  Since independence There have been two reviews of Duty hours of Railway employees as under'-
     --- in 1948 Justice Rajadhyaksha
     --- in 1969 Justice Miyabhoy


4.   All the members of This High Power Committee are working or retired Officers, making this committee biased and pro railways administration. This committee is not Neutral in its configuration and hence can not give judicious recommendations.


Railway Board have always acted against Loco running staff on HOER. Railway Administration have been never honest towards Loco Running men.


1.   The duty hours recommended in 1969 were increased from 12 to `14 Hours for Loco running staff.


2.   Written agreement by Minister of Labor on 10 hours from On Duty  to Off duty on 13-08-1973 was not implemented by Railway Board till 1978.


3. In 1981 - certain new conditions were illegally added to 10 hours duty. Like Running Duty etc.


4.  In 1992 the orders of CAT-Ernakulam were manipulated and duty hours were changed from 10 hours to 12 + 1 Hrs.


5.  Now by not referring the HOER to Min. of Labor. The Railway Board have proved that it is not clean in its intentions and will misuse its powers to Issue Gazette Notifications, and bypass the Min. of Labor and Office of CLC-Central and review and recommend regressive HOER.


IRLRO is amply sure that due to the following reasons this High power HOER review committee is formed.


a.  This committee recommend The Divisional Beat which is at present 100 to 200 KMS to increase to 400 - 500 Kms.


b.  In future Railways is coming with high speed dedicated corridor for which it may have to appoint around 4000-5000 drivers, which it can avoid if it increases beat.


c.  it may also remove the present option of a driver to stop the train for relief.


The other plans of railway board can be seen in the report of Running Allowance Committee-2002 published in 2004. this report have all the issues of HOER of loco running staff.


Loco running staff can understand the plans of railway board by the following examples.


1. Long haul trains are forced on Goods drivers.


2. Head quarter relief is denied by administration.


3. Duranto Trains are forced from Nagpur to Mumbai.


4. Inter zone crew links of Mail/Express trains have been implemented in most zones, resulting drivers are working more hours of duty, even mail drivers are earning over time which was not possible few years ago.


5.  Train Guards are forced train working on Paryagraj Express Between New Delhi - Allahabad -- from last few years -- Distance is around 600 KMS.


6.  Preparation Time of 02 hours which is in Rules but not given in practice may be removed altogether.


7. Railways have effectively forced vegetarian kitchens in north India.


IRLRO requests Loco running staff to be aware and oppose this committee and do not give any representation to this illegal committee,


IRLRO shall do everything to protect Loco runningmen from this plan of railway board.


Come and join IRLRO.


Give your suggestions to 09717632196 and irlrowp@gmail.com


regards


S.K.Pandhi
IRLRO Central Working President

Train Accident at Panki - U.P. - Jan. 2010

Accident Statistics:-

Incident : --  On Dated _________ Express Train No. __________ Rammed into stationary Train No. __________ resulting loss of _______ innocent lives.

Due to Heavy Fog the Driver Sh. Jai Pal Singh -(train no. ____________ ) could not see the track ahead on which Prayagraj express was standing and rammed his train into standing train.

IRLRO exposes the RAW facts that are never discussed and brought to lig  ht.

1.   The Existing Rules that were Not followed by Railway Administration.
      a.  - During abnormal working / bad weather between two stations rules provide that only one  
              train should be sent between two stations. This was the responsibility of The Chief
              Operations Manager (COM) of North Central Railway and Sr. DOM/Allahabad Divn.

        IRLRO Opinion : -   Had There been only one train between Panki and Kanpur, this accident
                                         would never had happened.
                                         These Two Officers are directly responsible for this accident.
                                         When DRM- Allahabad  was suspended by Higher Ups, the officers
                                         lined up to protest and saved DRM Allahabad. - It is on Record.

      b.  There are provisions in rules to provide Fog Signals (detonators) at some 270 meters  
            before one signal  from first stop signal. The detonator explodes and warns the driver to
            be more alert during fog. But railways rarely uses detonators.

         IRLRO opinion :   providing Fog signals