New Delhi: More than 1.5 lakh of the nearly 10 lakh sanctioned posts under the security category in the Indian Railways are vacant, the Railway Ministry said in response to an application under the Right to Information Act in March.
However, officials have said that the safety of trains is a top priority and the Railways has made significant investments in the matter over the last 10 years, as well as made several structural and systemic reforms, which have had a positive impact on safe operations.
Safety category posts include train driver, inspector, crew controller, loco instructor, train controller, track maintainer, station master, pointsman, electric signal maintainer and signaling supervisor.
Being directly involved in the operation of trains, the personnel posted at these posts are vital for safe train operations.
"The total number of sanctioned, on roll (working) and vacant posts in Security Category of Indian Railways available in this office as on 01.03.2024 (Provisional) are 10,00,941, 8,48,207 and 1,52,734 respectively.,” the ministry said in response to the RTI application.
Responding to a question in an RTI application regarding vacant posts of Loco Pilots (Mail/Express/Passenger/Goods/Shunting), the Railway Ministry said that out of the total sanctioned 70,093 posts, 14,429 posts are vacant.
Chandra Shekhar Gaur, an RTI applicant based in Madhya Pradesh, said, "The reply shows that Railways also suffer losses due to vacant posts of assistant drivers. Out of the total sanctioned 57,551 posts for assistant drivers, 4,337 posts are vacant."
In the RTI application, Gaur also wanted to know how many new posts were created and how many posts were surrendered in the Indian Railways in the last four years.To this the Railways replied, "It is stated that this information is not maintained centrally in this office. It is scattered. It pertains to more than one public authority i.e. all Zonal Railways and production units etc."
Gaur said, "The ministry advised me that such information can be obtained by submitting separate applications under the RTI Act from the concerned public authorities. I feel that such important information should be maintained centrally.,
Railway trade unions have raised the issue of increasing stress on safety category officers and employees due to shortage of personnel.
Ashok Sharma, assistant general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen, said, "This is the reason why accidents are happening. The safety category employees are overburdened. They have to work beyond their mental and physical strength."
He claimed, “The biggest problem is that the Railway Ministry has stopped the creation of all security category posts about two years ago and now such posts cannot be created without the consent of the Finance Ministry.,
However, a senior railway official said the investment in safety-related projects in the 2014-24 period was Rs 1,78,000 crore, which was 2.5 times the corresponding investment of Rs 70,273 crore in the 2004-14 period.
"The focus is on further enhancing safety measures. Improvements related to tracks, signalling, locomotives and trains are part of this effort," he said.
The official also said that training loco pilots, loco inspectors and station masters is also a top priority. “Simulators are being introduced for better training,” he said."
However, officials have said that the safety of trains is a top priority and the Railways has made significant investments in the matter over the last 10 years, as well as made several structural and systemic reforms, which have had a positive impact on safe operations.
Safety category posts include train driver, inspector, crew controller, loco instructor, train controller, track maintainer, station master, pointsman, electric signal maintainer and signaling supervisor.
Being directly involved in the operation of trains, the personnel posted at these posts are vital for safe train operations.
"The total number of sanctioned, on roll (working) and vacant posts in Security Category of Indian Railways available in this office as on 01.03.2024 (Provisional) are 10,00,941, 8,48,207 and 1,52,734 respectively.,” the ministry said in response to the RTI application.
Responding to a question in an RTI application regarding vacant posts of Loco Pilots (Mail/Express/Passenger/Goods/Shunting), the Railway Ministry said that out of the total sanctioned 70,093 posts, 14,429 posts are vacant.
Chandra Shekhar Gaur, an RTI applicant based in Madhya Pradesh, said, "The reply shows that Railways also suffer losses due to vacant posts of assistant drivers. Out of the total sanctioned 57,551 posts for assistant drivers, 4,337 posts are vacant."
In the RTI application, Gaur also wanted to know how many new posts were created and how many posts were surrendered in the Indian Railways in the last four years.To this the Railways replied, "It is stated that this information is not maintained centrally in this office. It is scattered. It pertains to more than one public authority i.e. all Zonal Railways and production units etc."
Gaur said, "The ministry advised me that such information can be obtained by submitting separate applications under the RTI Act from the concerned public authorities. I feel that such important information should be maintained centrally.,
Railway trade unions have raised the issue of increasing stress on safety category officers and employees due to shortage of personnel.
Ashok Sharma, assistant general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen, said, "This is the reason why accidents are happening. The safety category employees are overburdened. They have to work beyond their mental and physical strength."
He claimed, “The biggest problem is that the Railway Ministry has stopped the creation of all security category posts about two years ago and now such posts cannot be created without the consent of the Finance Ministry.,
However, a senior railway official said the investment in safety-related projects in the 2014-24 period was Rs 1,78,000 crore, which was 2.5 times the corresponding investment of Rs 70,273 crore in the 2004-14 period.
"The focus is on further enhancing safety measures. Improvements related to tracks, signalling, locomotives and trains are part of this effort," he said.
The official also said that training loco pilots, loco inspectors and station masters is also a top priority. “Simulators are being introduced for better training,” he said."
