Opposition leader and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today expressed his solidarity with the locomotive pilots at New Delhi Railway Station. He attentively heard their work-related challenges during this encounter. A Congress spokesperson elaborated that approximately 50 pilots shared their hardships with Gandhi, voicing their relentless work hours with inadequate rest. They operate long-distance trains far from home, often placed on duty without sufficient breaks, leading to stress and reduced concentration—a known cause of major accidents, as evidenced by recent investigation reports, including those on the Vishakhapatnam tragedy.
The pilots urged for a 46-hour interval for weekly rest, paralleling the downtime standard for aviation pilots. They highlighted the necessity for a night's relief following two consecutive night shifts and improved basic amenities onboard the trains. Staff shortages are a crucial factor behind these issues, attributed to the government's halt on locomotive pilot recruitment.
Congress has criticized the lack of recruitment by the Railway Recruitment Board over the past four years despite numerous vacancies. The pilots suspect a deliberate ploy by the Modi administration to further their privatization agenda for the railways. Gandhi reassured the locomotive pilots of his continuous advocacy against railway privatization and staff shortages. He pledged to support their demands for adequate rest periods, with the hope of reducing accident occurrences significantly.
Reflecting on the meeting, Priyanka Gandhi tweeted about the harsh working conditions Indian railway pilots face, including long hours, lack of sleep, and stress, which contribute to accidents. She emphasized that there are over three lakh vacant positions in the railways, including thousands for locomotive pilots.
Priyanka accused the BJP government of neglecting railway recruitment, fueling fears of a strategic move towards privatization. Rahul Gandhi assured the pilots that, as the leader of the opposition, he would champion their cause in the Parliament.
