Feedback on meeting held on 24.10.2011 with AM(Staff) Railway Board on the issues concerning to Running staff

Feedback on meeting held on 24.10.2011 with AM(Staff) Railway Board on the issues concerning to Running staff

 

Outcome of the meeting with AIM(Staff) Railway Board on the subject concerning to Running Staff.

An office letter has been uploaded on the official website of AIRF, the feedback of the meeting with AIM(Staff) Railway Board on the issues relating to Running Staff. This official letter is written by the AIRF General Secretary and he convey output of the meeting to all Secretaries of affiliated zonal unions of AIRF.

We have reproduced the contents of the letter and given below for your information…

Feedback on the meeting held today with AM(Staff) Railway Board on the issues concerning to Running Staff

A meeting was held today with the Addl. Member(Staff) Railway Board, to discuss the issues relating to Running Staff, which was attended by Coms. Umraomal Purohit, President AIRF, Rakhal Das Gupta, Working President AIRF and P.Ganeshan Asstt. General Secretary, Southern Railway Mazdoor Union, besides the undersigned.
In spite of marathon discussions, there had been not much progress, except Railway Board agreed to give their proposal, and now they will again meet us on 11 November, 2011.

We had shown our anguish about the dilatory tactic of the Railway Board and even warned them that this practice should not be continued. We also made it clear that these issues are well settled and there should be no hitch in the payment of arrears to Running Staff w.e.f. 1.1.2006 and improvement in the ALK. Moreover, non-payment of 25% extra after Dearness Allowance, reaching over 50%, has increased the anguish of the Running Staff.

Other issues, viz Fixation of Pay of Runrwig Staff while they are placed on stationary posts, counting 30% for the purpose of Privilege Pass, grant of Addl. Allowance to Running Staff were also discussed.

Railway Board have assured us that they would come out with proper reply on 11th November.

Cadre Restructuring Committee meeting – Feedback from AIRF

Cadre Restructuring Committee meeting – Feedback from AIRF

Cadre Restructuring in Railways

Com. Shiva Gopal Mishra, General Secretary, AIRF has written the outcome of the Cadre Restructuring Committee meeting held on 17.10.2011 with the Railway Board. He said in the letter that the meeting was disappointed because of the Official Side was not agreed to their proposals on restructuring of various cadres in his departments.

The content of the letter are given here for your ready reference…

“The Cadre Restructuring Committee, held today, was finished with a very distress note, because the Official Side (Railway Board) was not agreed to
our proposals on Cadre Restructuring. Moreover, they again wanted to make a reference to the MoF, which we did not agree to.

After prolonged discussions, it was agreed by the Official Side that the matter will be brought to the notice of the Board as well as MR that the Staff Side wants to settle Cadre Restructuring Exercise in-house Instead of sending the same to the MoF.

We also raised the issue of conversion of all the posts of PWS into JE (P.Way) as has been done in the case of Mechanical and Electrical Supervisors. For your better appreciation, enclosed please find herewith a proposal given by the Official Side(Railway Board) as well as Staff Side(Federations) on cadre restructuring of various categories.

The Official Side has agreed to give us a feedback on the same within three weeks.”

The proposals of percentage ratio in various cadres and the suggestion of Railway Board are given below as in the table…

S.No.	Category	% age proposed by Railway Board	% age proposed by AIRF
1.	Traffic Controllers GP Rs.4600 GP Rs.4200	85 15	90 10
2.	Commercial Inspectors GP Rs.4600 GP Rs.4200	62 38	75 25
3.	Technical Supervisors GP Rs.4600 GP Rs.4200	55 45	80 20
4.	Drawing & Design GP Rs.4600 GP Rs.4200	50 50	80 20
5.	C & MT GP Rs.4600 GP Rs.4200	75 25	90 10
6.	DMS GP Rs.4600 GP Rs.4200	45 55	80 20
7.	Technicians(Artisan) GP Rs.4200 GP Rs.2800 GP Rs.2400 GP Rs.1900	12 43 24 21	25 50 15 10
8.	Technicians(S&T) GP Rs.4200 GP Rs.2800 GP Rs.2400 GP Rs.1900	20 55 17 08	40 49 06 05
9.	Telephone Operators GP Rs.4600 GP Rs.4200 GP Rs.2400 GP Rs.1900	12 63 20 05	24 61 10 05
10.	Ministerial Staff GP Rs.4600 GP Rs.4200 GP Rs.2800 GP Rs.1900	15 48 23 14	24 61 10 05

Revised pay limits for entitlement of School Pass, School Card Pass and Residential Card Pass

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)

No.E(W) 2008/PS 5-1/38

New Delhi, dated 13.10.2011

The General Managers,
All Zonal Railways & Production Units, etc.

Sub: Revised pay limits for entitlement of School Pass, School Card Pass and Residential Card Pass.

Consequent upon revision of Pay Scales on the basis of decision of the Government on the of 6th Central Pay Commission, the question of revision of existing entitlement ‘School Pass’, School Card Pass’ and ‘Residential Card Pass' under the Railway Servants (Pass) Rules,1986 (Second Edition, 1993) has been under Consideration of this Ministry.

2. The matter has been examined and in exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution, the President Is pleased to direct that the pay limits for entitlement to 'School Pass’, ‘School Card Pass’ and ‘Residential Card Pass’ be revised as per Advance Correction Slip No. 69 attached.

2.1 In all other respects, the existing provisions of the Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, 1986 (Second Edition, 1993), as amended from time to time shall continue to apply.

3. This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of Ministry of Railways.

4. Please acknowledge receipt.

DA One

sd/-
(Debasis MaZuumdar)
Joint Director Estt.(Welfare)
Railway Board.

Source: AIRF
[http://airfindia.com/Orders_11/Revised%20pay%20limits%20for%20entitlement%20of%20school%20pass_13.10.2011.pdf]

Railway Airtel CUG Maha-Ghotala (CUG-Scam)

Railway Airtel CUG Maha-Ghotala (CUG-Scam)
After CWG, 2G, S-Band Scam
Now no CUG will be FREE even though SMS on CUG-CUG also.
New Plan:---
CUG NEW PLAN
... Your Bill Plan - RA 13 CUG 140 (West)
Monthly Charges - 140.0
Local Outgoing Charges -
To Airtel 0.075/15 Sec
... To Other 0.075/15 Sec
To Landline 0.075/15 Sec
STD To Airtel 0.15/15 Sec
STD To Other 0.15/15 Sec
STD To Landline 0.15/15 Sec
STD To AirtelCUG 0.15/15 Sec
NRMU protesting it very strongly

Reimbursement of Medical Expenses in Railways: Delegation of powers to DRM for reimbursement of medical claims

Delegation of powers to DRM for reimbursement of medical claims

DRMs were delegated powers to sanction the medical claims for treatment taken in emergency even without referral of AMO in private recognized/non-recognized hospitals upto Rs.10,000 per case with annual ceiling limit of Rs.2,00,000. Demanding by the both federations of Railways, to be increased the ceiling limit and as far as settle all the medical claims are being pending for months. The issue has been examined in detail in consultation with FR of Railway Board, it has been now decided to increase the ceiling limit of medical claims.
An amendment has been made in IRMM-2000 by the Railway Board (No.2011/H/6-4/Policy-1 dated 30.09.2011), “Divisional Railway Managers are delegated powers to settle the claims with the concurrence of their associate finance for reimbursement of medical expenses for treatment taken in emergency at private recognized/non-recognized hospitals upto Rs.25,000 per case, with an annual ceiling limit of Rs.5,00,000 (Rupees Five lakhs only).

Above delegation to DRMs is subject to the norms prescribed in Railway Board’s letters No.2005/H/6-4/Policy-II dated 31.1.2007 & 22.06.2010 being followed. These powers are delegated to the DRMs of Zonal Railways only and may not be re-delegated further”.

Employees cannot refuse official accommodation to claim HRA : Mumbai HC

Employees cannot refuse official accommodation to claim HRA : Mumbai HC

The HC has ruled that house rent allowance (HRA) is not a right. A division bench of Justice B P Dharmadhikari and Justice A P Bhangale ruled that a government employee not staying in the quarters despite its availability can be disentitled from claiming the special allowance. 
The Nagpur has surplus government accommodation. It is one of the few cities where the central government employee, who lives in his own house has to submit a "non-availability certificate" before he can ask for HRA. 

"HRA is not a matter of right, it is a compensatory allowance given by an employer towards the rental accommodation expenses when the government is unable to provide suitable accommodation to its employee," said the judges. "The employee, if he resides in his own property, may not be entitled to claim the HRA, because it is paid to central government employees to compensate them partly for the especially higher rents which they have to pay for hired or rented residential accommodation in big cities, but not as a source of profit," they added.
The court quashed an order of the central administrative tribunal asking the government to pay HRA to employees who had were residing in their own houses. 

Source : Economic Times

WR’s plan to stop motormen’s strikes

WR’s local train drivers will no longer be an exclusive cadre; they will lose their stranglehold over the city

For all the trouble Western Railway motormen caused this year - disrupting services on the western line twice - it took just a terse, three-line letter to put them in place.
The WR on Tuesday issued an order, breaking the monopoly its 400 motormen have had over operation of local trains by ceasing their direct recruitment.
So while till now, WR motormen joined as motormen and retired in the same role, thus becoming something of an exclusive club, it will no longer be so.
The motormen often abused this exclusive control over locals, holding commuters to ransom by striking work to have their demands met.
On August 18 this year, motormen protesting the sacking of a colleague had resorted to a  flash strike in the afternoon leaving lakhs of WR commuters stranded.
The motormen deliberately timed their strike to coincide with a stop-work protest of BEST drivers and conductors. On June 17, motormen ran trains slow, throwing the entire schedule haywire. They were protesting the promotion of two motormen, not belonging to their union, as instructors at the WR’s Mahalaxmi Training Institute.
In May last year, motormen of both CR and WR struck work for almost 40 hours leaving the city paralysed.
The order issued on Tuesday breaks this stranglehold of motormen on locals. It reads - ‘It is advised that the competent authority has decided that henforth there will be no direct recruitment in the category of motormen.’
What this means is that a driver will join as an assistant loco pilot; get promoted to handle freight trains; and then go on to running suburban locals. Those who do well as motormen will get promoted as Mail/Express driver. A lucky few could go all the way and become Rajdhani, Shatabdi drivers, the highest and best-paid category of train drivers in the city.
So, the next time motormen go on strike, WR will summon drivers who have experience of handing locals to fill in. Also, since motormen will not be condemned to retire as motormen, their will be incentive for them to be at their best behaviour.
WR is the only railway zone in India where motormen are a separate category. Aware of their indispensability, the motormen formed an unrecognised union called the Western Railway Motormen’s Association that has time and again taken on the railway administration and won hands down.
The confrontations - mostly over punishments given to offending colleagues and sometimes for better pay and working conditions - have resulted in some of the most crippling traffic problems the city has ever seen.
“The era of direct recruitment of motormen on WR, something that started as a temporary emergency measure in the 1980s but continued ever since, is finally over. Hopefully in some time as drivers of other trains get promoted to the category of motormen in WR, the threat of strikes would also cease,” said a senior railway official.

इलाज के अभाव में तड़प-तड़प कर ड्राइवर की मौत

बरेली, जागरण संवाददाता October 6, 2011: गंगा सतलज (किसान) एक्सप्रेस के ड्राइवर की चलती ट्रेन में हालत बिगड़ गई। बरेली जंक्शन पर उतरने के बाद पूर्व सूचना पर भी डाक्टर नहीं पहुंचे तो इलाज के अभाव में तड़प-तड़प कर ड्राइवर की मौत हो गई। मंगलवार को सुबह मुरादाबाद के चिडि़या टोला निवासी ड्राइवर ओमप्रकाश (55) गंगा सतलज (किसान 13308) एक्सप्रेस लेकर आ रहे थे। किसान करीब सवा चार घंटे लेट थी। शाहजहांपुर मुआयना को जा रहे एडीआरएम एके सिंघल, डीएमई एसके चौहान, लोको इंस्पेक्टर भी इंजन में बैठे थे। रामपुर पहुंचते ही ड्राइवर ओमप्रकाश की अचानक तबीयत बिगड़ गई। ड्राइवर की तबियत इतनी बिगड़ गई कि लोको इंस्पेक्टर एसएस दास को ट्रेन चलाकर बरेली तक लाना पड़ा। इंजन में ही सवार अधिकारियों ने ड्राइवर का रामपुर में उपचार नहीं कराया। 12.10 बजे ट्रेन के बरेली जंक्शन पहुंचने से पहले ही रेलवे के डॉक्टर को खबर कर दी गई। जंक्शन पर ड्राइवर को उतार अधिकारी ट्रेन से आगे चले गए। इधर, सूचना मिलने के बाद भी रेलवे अस्पताल के डॉ. वेद प्रकाश नहीं पहुंचे। उनकी जगह फार्मासिस्ट आया। इसी दौरान ड्राइवर की मौत हो गई। 2.10 बजे डॉ. वेदप्रकाश आए और ड्राइवर को मृत घोषित कर दिया। इस पर कर्मियों ने हंगामा किया। सूचना पर मुरादाबाद से ड्राइवर के परिजन भी आ गए। (संबंधित खबर पेज 5 पर) ट्रेन ड्राइवर की जंक्शन पर तड़प-तड़प कर मौत

Full report on http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/epaper/index.php?location=7&edition=2011-09-28&pageno=3#id=111722181171095240_7_2011-09-28

Railways identifies 305 sites for commercial usage

Railways identifies 305 sites for commercial usage

Railways, which recently leased one of its vacant land at a prime location in Delhi to a private builder for about Rs 1,650 crore, has identified more than 300 sites for commercial usage across the country.

Currently, the Railways has approximately 43,000 hectares of vacant land which is not required for operational purposes. These sites are being offered to private developers for commercial purpose.

About 167 of the 305 identified sites will be used for development of multi-function complex (MFC) and 138 others for commercial development, Railway sources said.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-10-09/news/30260214_1_rlda-vacant-land-rail-land-development-authority

European tracking system to prevent rail accidents

Faced with recurring train mishaps, Railways has expedited the process for installing the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) – an advanced European technology – on an 800-km long stretch.

Estimated to cost about Rs 50 lakh per km, the TPWS technology ensures automatic application of emergency brakes in case the loco driver jumps a red signal.

“The TPWS trial is at the final stage and we are planning to install TPWS after certain modifications in the rail routes which have automatic signalling system,” a senior Railway Ministry official said.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-10-09/news/30260229_1_tpws-railway-ministry-new-delhi

First indigenously developed Train Driving Simulator unveiled

First indigenously developed Train Driving Simulator unveiled

C.C Engineers, the Pune based Rail Simulation company, has developed a simulation solution for training drivers of locomotives and Metro trains. Indian Railways have been importing such simulators from Australia and France. This means that Indian Railways and various upcoming Metro train operators can substantially reduce capital costs and also provide training in the preferred local language.

Rail Simulators are used to train drivers in a high fidelity environment. Driver training is extremely important as it directly affects the safety of passengers. The Simulator consists of a loco cab with train instrumentation which accurately matches with that in a real locomotive. The behaviour of the train is modelled using simulation software. Actions taken by the trainee driver will generate a matching response from the vehicle. High quality projectors and sound systems are used to create different hazardous environments such as Rain and fog. Mathematical models of coaches and wagons coupled to the locomotive provide the trainee with information on coupler forces and other train dynamics resulting from the terrain, rail-path and rail – wheel interactions. These skills gain importance especially when the Indian railways are in the process of developing high speed goods trains to be run in the dedicated freight corridor.

As a result of multi-year research and training projects carried out in cooperation with various training institutes of the Indian Railways, CC has now indigenously completed the development of Rail simulators. To supplement available technology, CC has also developed the first of its kind vision technology SOVAC, which will allow the Railways to easily add track data to its simulators without depending on the simulator manufacturer. On the other hand the superior image quality provided by SOVAC will provide the trainee with predictive information that is useful in the development of perceptual cognitive component skills required for high speed train driving.

The first indigenously manufactured Loco Driver simulator was unveiled at the International Rail Equipment exhibition (IREE) held at Pragati Maidan organised jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industries and the Indian railways. The Railway Minister Mr. Dinesh Trivedi and the Minister of State for Rural development Mr.Shishir Adhikari visited the simulator and also had a brief ride in the same. Railway Board Member Mechanical- Mr. Sanjiv Handa, Member Electrical Mr. Kul Bhushan and the General Manger of Chittaranjan Locomotive Works Mr. Amar Nath also inspected the simulator and appreciated the progress made.

http://www.indiacompanynews.com/post/view/9682/First-indigenously-developed-Train-Driving-Simulator-unveiled/