New Delhi: In an important step towards enhancing passenger safety and security on Indian Railways, the Central Railway authorities have declared the recruitment of 18,799 assistant loco pilots in the coming six to eight months. Previously, on June 18, Indian Railways had announced 5,696 vacancies; however, this figure has since been revised upwards, with a total of 18,799 assistant loco pilots set to be employed.
In a circular released by the Railway Board, zonal railways have been asked to process the hiring decision immediately. Also, a railway official was quoted saying in a report by the Deccan Herald that filling up the vacancies is expected to take at least six months as posts have to be notified and candidates need to pass written, aptitude, and medical tests.
Talking about the safety of passengers, the recruitment of assistant loco pilots will help in meeting the skilled manpower requirements of the Indian Railways, added the official.
“The total number of sanctioned, on roll (working) and vacant posts in safety category of Indian Railways, as available in this office, as on 01.03.2024 (provisional) are 10,00,941, 8,48,207 and 1,52,734 respectively”, the Railway Ministry said in an RTI reply.
10 Lakh Sanctioned Posts Under Safety Category In Indian Railways
Out of approximately 10 lakh sanctioned safety category positions in Indian Railways, over 1.5 lakh remain vacant as of March this year, according to the Railway Ministry’s response to a Right to Information Act application.
Nevertheless, officials assert that train safety is paramount, and the railways have significantly invested in this area over the past decade, undertaking numerous structural and systemic enhancements that have positively influenced operational safety.
Safety category posts include train drivers, inspectors, crew controllers, loco instructors, train controllers, track maintainers, station masters, pointsmen, electric signal maintainers and signalling supervisors among others.
Being directly involved in the running of trains, personnel in these posts are crucial to safe running of trains.
“The total number of sanctioned, on roll (working) and vacant posts in safety category of Indian Railways, as 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 the RTI application about vacant posts of loco pilots (mail/express/passenger/goods/shunting), the Railway Ministry said out of a total sanctioned post of 70,093, as many as 14,429 are vacant.
Chandra Shekhar Gaur, the RTI applicant based in Madhya Pradesh, said, “The response shows the Railways also suffers due to the vacancy in post of the assistant drivers. Out of the total sanctioned posts of 57,551 for assistant drivers, 4,337 are vacant.”
(With inputs from agencies)