Overtime Allowance: RBE No.135/1986 – Payment to Staff Accompany Steam Cranes

No.E(LL)82/HER/2-13, dated 04.08.1986

Sub:     Payment of overtime allowance to Fitting staff who accompany steam cranes to outstations.

1.     A doubt has been expressed by one of the Zonal Railways as to whether the breakdown crane staff would be entitled to payment of overtime allowance for the time spent on the return trip after the breakdown work is completed for the reasons that the crew rest vans are provided on the trains and the staff in question are not required to do any work on the return trip.

2.     In this connection, it is clarified that the crane staff are deputed to accompany steam cranes;

(i)    in the event of accidents; and

(ii)    for commercial purposes, i.e. for loading and unloading of heavy consignments.

With regard to (i) the staff are to be paid overtime allowance from the time of departure of the Special to the accident place till its return to Headquarters. Full journey time is reckoned for calculating overtime allowance in accordance with special provisions contained in para 430 of Indian Railway Establishment Code, Vol-I. In respect of the movement of the crane for commercial purposes, i.e. (ii) above, the payment of overtime allowance to Fitting Staff who accompany steam cranes is regulated in accordance with the instructions contained in Board’s letter No.E(LWA)63/33, dated 14.05.1965.

3.     It is, however, observed that in the event of an accident, after the traffic is restored, the breakdown relief train is generally kept aside at a roadside station for long duration and no promptness is shown to rush the same back to the base station, as was shown in rushing it to the site of accident. Since staff in the breakdown relief train get full credit of the time for the purpose of overtime allowance, from the departure of the said train from the headquarter to its arrival back at headquarter. the Department of Railways would like to emphasize that every effort should be made to ensure that the breakdown relief train is not unduly detained at any station and the same is returned to the headquarter with due promptness.

4.     The above issues with the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of the Department of Railways.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.135/1986 

Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.