SM’s death case: Some Officers are playing with the safety of the employees and passengers
Railway administration is fully responsible for the tragic death of a SM and unsafe working, and inhuman treatment with the employees
MUSAFIR SINGH, Station Superintendent, Ghatnandur Railway Station, Vikarabad – Parlivaijanath (VKB-PRLI) section of Secunderabad Division, South Central Railway expired on duty on Saturday, 27 March, 2022.
He was working at Ghatnandur station in night shift, 12 hours duty roaster in the section. He expired following a heart attack.
When permission for Panvel Express was being asked from side station Pangaon there was no response from Ghatnandur station. Station Master from the side station went broke open the door to find the dead body of the station master.
A doctor in Panvel Express confirmed his death.
Actually, all Pointsman were removed from all the remote / wayside stations of Secunderabad Division in the South Central Railway.
Station Masters is doing duties all alone, neither any assistance nor Medical help available near about on these remote and wayside stations.
This situation is in the complete section of VKB-PRLI except from three stations having shunting movements.
The policy of downsizing the station staff has taken his life. Had there been a pointsman he could have called for medical help.
There was no other Staff available at the Ghatnandur station at the time of incidence.
This unmanning of railway stations is found at all the stations as policy of downsizing the staff. Had there been a pointsman he would have survived.
When asked by the #RailSamachar about the incidence, SrDOM/ Secunderabad Division, Manoj Kumar said, “the pointsman is there but at the time of incidence he has gone at the gate surrounding station.”
“What he (SrDOM/SC) said, that is totally false, incorrect and misguiding, because there was no pointsman deputed and he is particularly responsible for this death.” A station master told the #Railwhispers.
The SM also said that there are atleast 17-18 stations in the Secunderabad Division like Ghatnandur where no any supporting staff deputed with the SM.
“There is no caretaker of Railway Employees. Railway administration and particularly SrDOM/Secunderabad Division is fully responsible for this unsafe working and inhuman treatment with the employees and for destroying the system,” he said.
The different voices of SMs on twitter
“Many Station Masters are performing 12, or even 14-16 hours duty in almost all the Divisions of Indian Railways which is against the set safety rules, HOER and Industrial Dispute Act, i.e. performing more than roster duty hours and under rest.”
“It is fully carelessness and negligent on the part of SrDOM. What many Traffic Inspectors (TIs) are doing? They should be deputed at Stations. There may be many stations which is blank and without SM in night. Why not railway authorities show cadre strength and shortage?”
“Inhuman working conditions with inhuman roster of 12-14 hrs, and without any supporting staff, working at remote location, this has resulted in tragic death of a station master on duty. No help from administration even to complete medical formalities, talk to family etc.”
“There are many Compensatory Rest (CR) accumulated in lieu of extra hours of duty performed at stations which is safety category, all SrDOMs, SrDPOs, DRMs and GMs to look after it. Why not Administration – or say operating officers – is responsible for unsafe working conditions and unsafe train operation?”
“Officers don’t take any responsibility and it is shame on them to blame class III & IV staff for failures. Railway administration is bound to Justify the duty hours and social life of railway employees particularly safety/essential categories like SMs, Locopilots, Gaurds, Trackmen, Gatemen etc and do not squeeze their blood.”
If ask any SrDOM or other officers, what steps are taken for employees safety and welfare, “Always it seems by their face they (officers) don’t care about it. So no rest and 12-14 hrs duty, over and excess of duty roster hours as per HOER which accumulates CR which is unsafe for train operation but officers neglecting all the same. This called “MISMANAGEMENT” and officers concerned are unfitt for their posts, no matter they are posted in Headquarters or in the Divisions.”
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