About 15 per cent of train driver posts vacant: Railway Board in RTI response

Out of a total of 1,27,644 sanctioned posts for both drivers and assistant drivers in all railway zones across the country, 18,766 (about 14.7 per cent) were lying vacant as of 1 March 2024, the Railway Board said in a response to an application under the Right to Information Act (RTI).

A further break-up of the data suggests that the number of vacant posts for drivers is much higher than those for assistant drivers. Where the sanctioned posts for loco pilots (drivers) is 70,093, of which 14,429 (about 20.5 per cent) are vacant, for assistant loco pilots, only 4,337 (about 7.5 per cent) of a total of 57,551 posts are vacant.

Madhya Pradesh-based Chandra Shekhar Gaur, who had filed the application, said he had asked for a zone-wise vacancy status, but the board said such data is not centrally maintained.

Various railway unions and drivers' associations say the vacant posts result in an increase in duty hours for the existing crew as they have to compensate for the vacant posts as well.

“This is increasing work pressure and stress on drivers which is not in the interest of safe train operations,” All India Railwaymen's Federation general-secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra said.

Drivers' unions also say the number of vacant posts could be more than what the data shows because about two to three per cent drivers perform various office-bound jobs without getting their job roles changed in the official records.

“According to me, the overall vacancy for both drivers and assistant drivers should be about 17 to 18 per cent as two to three per cent loco pilots work in different capacities in offices, but in the Railways records, maintain their job category as loco pilot,” Indian Railway Loco Runningmen Organisation (IRLRO) working president Sanjay Pandhi said.

He added that train drivers are under "stress" and the Railways should immediately take steps to fill the vacant posts.

In January 2024, the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) started a recruitment drive to fill 5,696 posts of assistant loco pilots across all railway zones in the country, and the process is on to shortlist the successful candidates.

According to Railway norms, a loco pilot has a nine-hour work duration which may be extended up to 12 hours. However, official communications within the railway divisions and zones suggest that these vacant posts are a "cause of serious concern" as a substantial segment of drivers have to work beyond the maximum shift timings of 12 hours.

In May 2023, an official note from the Ahmedabad division of Western Railway said 23.5 per cent loco pilots worked more than 12 hours in April 2023 because of the shortage. It further shows that in the financial year 2022-23, 24 per cent loco pilots worked more than 12 hours.

Another official communication between the Railway Board and the zones regarding the implementation of nine-hour shifts for running staff shows that in 2020-21, 5.8 per cent loco pilots worked for more than 12 hours.

The over 12 hours duty percentage of loco pilots varies from 1.2 to 19 per cent in all 16 railway zones.

“Various fatal railway accidents have been found to arise from contributory factors of excessive duty hours, continuous night duty, and inadequate rest for the engine crew,” Pandhi said.

“It is quite obvious that such a huge shortage of drivers is not in the interest of safety of rail operations as well as the mental and physical well-being of the working drivers. Some immediate measures should be taken by the Railways,” Gaur said.