Hastily prepared policy order of TADK

Without considering the requirements of the very complex and disciplined 24×7 working system of Railways

President, South Central Railway Officers’ Association (SCROA) and Principal Chief Operation Manager (PCOM) of South Central Railway has written a letter to the Chairman & CEO/Railways on the Policy of appointments of TADK/Banglow Peon in the Railways.

He writes, with reference to Railway Board’s letter no. E(NG)/II/2020/SB/5, dated 01.12.2020, regarding revised policy for engagement of TADK or Bunglow peon, it seems that the policy order has been hastily prepared without considering the requirements of the very complex and disciplined 24×7 working system of Railways.

The practical working system of Railways is highly demanding of an individual railway officer who needs proper support system for his/her personal/domestic life.

Starting with the Junior Scale posting, a Railway Officer has to keep himself/ herself available 21×7 for extensive coordination of the Railway working irrespective of the day being a holiday or weekly rest day.

The day and night toil continues with night inspcctions, emergencies, failures, breakdowns, inspection requirements and the innumerable instructions from administration including the Railway Board which are to be followed in letter and spirit with utmost discipline.

A Railway Officer is burdened with the responsibility of countless activities associated with keeping the wheels rolling safely on the tracks and also to be prepared to move on a single phone call to attend the emergencies and breakdowns.

Besides this, Indian Railway working system cannot be compared with any other departments working.

It is imperative to mention here, that whilc joining Indian Railways, an officer is assured of a robust support mechanism in the form of a person of his/her choice as TADK/Bunglow Peon to carryout various personal works which the officer would not be able to perform considering the level of involvement with Railway system of working.

Usually such person is the one who has been engaged by the officer for sufficient amount of time so as to develop trust upon that person, considering the safety and privacy of his family.

In absence of a trustworthy person of his/her choice as TADK/Bunglow peon to look after various works related to his domestic life, a railway officer could not be expected to devote his/her 21×7 time towards official Railway duties and compliance of the countless instructions of Higher Authorities.

The previously existing policy for appointment of TADK on the Railways was based on the requirements of special nature of services to be performed by Railway Officers.

The unilateral decision of change in such policy without due consultation with Officer’s association indicates the Competent Authority’s decision to change the special categorization of Railway working.

In such a scenario, no special 24 x7 services should be expected from Railway Officers at the cost of their personal life and their availability on CUG numbers shall be restricted to general defined hours of working as with other services.

Further, such a unilateral decision in the middle of service career of a Railway Officer would affect his/her future functioning, as the decision for joining Railway services was based on certain service conditions and support mechanisms which were earlier assured to him/her.

Such policy decision should be implemented only for those who shall be joining Railway services in future so that they are well informed of the service conditions and no availability of the support systems for them, so that they may decide accordingly to join Railway services or some other services.

Government has taken such decision in the past in the case of New Pension Scheme (NPS). NPS was brought as a change in policy decision and implemented only for those joining the services after the defined date of order so as not to affect the already existing/ joined Government servants’ service conditions.

In this backdrop, Competent Authority may suitably decide to continue with the previously existing policy for appointment of TADK/Bunglow Peon on Railways as an important support system for Railway Officers considering the special nature of Railway work requirements from officers OR Railway officers should not be expected to perform special services with 24×7 working at the cost of their personal life and day & night availability on CUG numbers and their working should be restricted to general defined hours of working as with other services.

On the same line and same subject, all Zonal and Diviaional officer’s associations have written a letter and stated anguish to the authorities and said that they are also work only on general defined houres as defined other Central Government Services.

Copies of the above letters also sent to the PS/MR for kind perusal of Railway Minister, Secretaries to GMs, General Secretaries of Zonal FROA presidents and General Secretaries and Secretary General/FROA, Railway Board for the kind information and necessary action.