Motormen at loggerheads with Central Railway; local trains may get hit

There are chances that the local trains on Central Railway (CR) could get affected from August 10 due to difference of opinion between motormen and the railway administration. The motormen have threatened to not work overtime starting tomorrow which could result in nearly 250 services either getting delayed or cancelled. This would affect both Main and Harbour lines on Central Railway.

On an average, 4,200 commuters travel in each service operated during peak hours, and around 2,500 commuters use them during the rest of the time. If services start getting delayed or cancelled, then it will put tremendous pressure on the system and result in overcrowding. There are two huge notice boards put up by the railway unions right outside the motormen and guards lobby in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).

The motormen are being supported by various railway unions, who until late Thursday evening were having meeting with the CR administration to resolve the issues. The most important point raised by the motormen is ‘removal from service’ for Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) cases.

These are the cases wherein motormen are removed from their jobs, in case the train they are manoeuvering passes despite the red signal. This happens mostly when trains are meant to halt at platforms but the motorman forgets and applies brake late. This halts the train beyond the ‘yellow marked’ point and crosses the signal. This is considered as an accident and so motormen are removed.

“We are working overtime in order to compensate for the vacant 229 posts. But now that the administration is dilly-dallying our demand of eliminating the punishment for SPAD cases, we have decided to indefinitely not work overtime,” said a motorman who is part of Joint Action Forum that has threatened this.