Running Staff: RBE No.105/2022 – Crew Review of Running Staff
No.E(NG)I/2021/PM7/4, dated 30.08.2022
Sub: Report on system for crew review of running staff and modalities for periodic balancing of staff excess/ shortage.
A Committee of EDs was constituted vide order No.ERB-I/2022/23/07, dated 08.02.2022 TO examine the present system of crew review and recommend modalities for periodic balancing or excess/ shortage of such staff between Division/ Zonal Railways. The committee consisted of the following members:
(i) Executive Director Establishment (N) – Convener
(ii) Executive Director/TT (S) – Member
(iii) Executive Director (Finance) – Member
(iv) Principal Executive Director/ EE(RS) – Member
The terms of reference of the Committee are “To examine the present system for crew review and recommend modalities for periodic balancing of excess/ shortage of such staff between Division/ Zonal Railways“.
The Committee submitted its recommendations. After deliberations, the recommendations of the Committee have been accepted/ approved by the Board. Hence, Zonal Railways are directed to implement the following recommendations of the Committee and take necessary action in this regard:
(a) Recently, all Zonal Railways do not follow a uniform procedure or norms for reviewing the running staff, which needs to be rationalized. Two parameters namely 10% allowance for bunching allowance or fluctuation of traffic allowance and 3.5% allowance for future growth in traffic, presently being considered in calculating crew required per POL may be dispensed with as the parameters need to be accounted for in assessing traffic/ POL projections. This will reduce crew assessment by 13.5% or 0.6 per loco from its present value of 7.67, roughly amounting to 8% reduction (0.6/ 7.67) which may likely translate into approximately 10000 posts.
(b) The provisions for 30% Leave reserve and 10% trainees reserve in crew assessment per POL may be reviewed and decided at the Zonal Railway level based on percentage of working days running staff has been on leave and training in the past 3 years. The provision for these parameters may be prescribed as 30% in total or actual percentage described above, whichever is lower.
(c) Considering advancement in Rolling Stock technologies, length of the beat served by loco running staff may be increased to at-least 250 kms.
(d) Zonal Railways to rationalize their requirement of lobbies and as far as possible, retaining only essential lobbies while increasing distance between two lobbies to upto 250km irrespective of divisional/ zonal boundaries, staff links should however be made within the HOER statutory requirements.
(e) Increase in the beat length would also lead to running staff working more frequently across Divisional and Zonal Railway boundaries for which suitable working arrangements may be instituted between divisions/ zones.
(f) As seen in data above, since there is proper utilization of coaching crew, coaching links may be revised to enhance average duty hours. For such enhancement of duty hours, crew beats of Mail/ Express trains may be extended from the present beats.
(g) Coaching Crew Link Management System (CCLMS), being developed by CRIS should be rolled out at the earliest for optimal utilization of coaching crew.
(h) Integration of CMS with COA for enabling visibility of on duty time of crew to section controller along with train details for better planning of trains to reach next crew changing point within prescribed running/ overall duty limits and if required advance notice to crew for extended duty can be served. This will also help Section Controller for reducing the Pre-Departure detention (PDD) with better planning of trains in section under his control.
(i) At present, minimum 8 hours rest at out station is prescribed irrespective of hours of duty performed. It is recommended that if duty is less than 5 hours, the crew may be given option for availing 6 hour rest instead 8 hours rest.
(j) Provisions should be made to deploy crew temporarily from one lobby to another to cater to any sudden peak in demand. Such deployment may be done even across divisional/ zonal boundaries if necessary for catering to enhanced traffic requirement with the approval of PCOMs and PCEEs of respective Zonal Railway.
(k) Deployment across Divisions/ Zones may be considered only after taking holistic view of crew availability in other units and may be done on option basis, with staff being given the option to revert back to their original units within 6 months to 1 year.
(l) Such deployment shall be based on crew review done on yearly basis to balance surplus/ deficit requirements at the lobby level within Division/ Zones. A long term review every 3 years may be done to assess enhancement/ reduction of cadre at the divisional/ zonal level so that necessary action for new recruitment/ redeployment of surplus staff may be done within time. Any redeployment/ balancing done in this regard should be only with approval of concerned PHOD.
(m) In case running crew are identified excess and declared surplus, they may be considered for redeployment under extant rules for surplus staff. Such redeployment may however be considered only after excess crew are adjusted by considering request for inter railway/ inter division in relaxation of 5 years’ service requirement.
(n) If need arises, options of staff in these categories may be invited for absorption in other categories/ departments provided these are in the same pay level and they undergo suitable training. This deployment may be made against DR quota subject to the staff meeting prescribed eligibility criteria. Seniority and pay fixation of such staff on their absorption in alternative categories should be as per extant rules for surplus staff.
In case of additional requirement, posts may be created for new recruitment. However, in terms of instructions issued by Secretary (Expenditure), Ministry of Finance, Deptt. of Expenditure vide OM No.7(2)/E(Coord)/2020, dated 04.09.2020, all powers for creation of posts have been withdrawn by Ministry of Finance. As per para 2(a) and 2(b) of the aforementioned O.M. “There will be a ban on creation of new posts, except with the approval of Department of Expenditure, in Ministries/ Departments, attached Offices, Subordinate Office, Statutory Bodies and Autonomous Bodies. This ban will cover all creation of posts under powers which have been delegated to any organization regardless of the source of such authority or power.” Indian Railways should take up the matter with Department of Expenditure to exempt creation of posts of running cadre from this restriction.
(o) The merger of cadres of Loco Pilots between electrical/ mechanical may be implemented uniformly across all Railways. All crew may be provided training for operating both types of traction as may be necessary keeping in mind local circumstances. Administrative control of loco running staff may be handled by a single point of command to ensure efficiency and decision making.
(p) Crew review should be done on yearly basis (Calendar year, i.e. 1st January to 31st December) duly approved by DRM. The proposal for crew review should be sent from Divisions to HQ well in time so that sanction of GM may be obtained by 15th March and Divisions may be advised to submit indents by March end.
Extant process of filling up of post of running staff through direct recruitment by RRBs is time consuming and generally takes about 2.5 to 3 years. Crew review should be based on three years traffic projection so that any vacancies in anticipated cadre strength can be filled up in a planned manner.
These recommendations contain subjects pertaining to various directorates. If any clarification is required, Zonal Railways may approach the Technical Directorate concerned for further clarification.
Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.105/2022
Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.116/2022