Railway Trackmen’s Patrolling Burden Sparks Row; AIRF Asks Why 20 KM When 12 KM Is Enough – Indian PSU

All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) General Secretary Shiva Gopal Mishra has questioned the Railway administration’s approach to the patrolling distance assigned to track maintainers, asking why the maximum limit should always be treated as the norm when the prescribed minimum is 12 kilometres.

“If the provision is 12 to 20 kilometres, why should we always look at the maximum? Railway, being an ideal management, should focus on the minimum of 12 kilometres. We need quality, and we also have to look after the welfare of our employees,” Mishra said.

He said the workload and working conditions of track maintainers need to be viewed from the perspective of both railway safety and employee welfare. According to him, simply pushing workers towards the upper limit of the prescribed distance could undermine the quality of maintenance and increase the burden on frontline staff.

Mishra also strongly opposed any move to remove railway employees working eight-hour shifts at level-crossing gates and replace them with outsourced personnel.

“This will not be accepted,” he said, making it clear that the issue was not merely about the interpretation of rules.

He stressed that the concerns involved the safety of railway employees, their working conditions and their dignity.

The AIRF leader’s remarks underline the continuing concerns among railway employees’ organisations over workload, staffing patterns and outsourcing, particularly in safety-sensitive areas of railway operations.