Bengaluru: Loco pilots of Indian Railways will observe a 36-hour fast from 7 AM on February 20 to 7 PM on February 21 in protest against the Railway Ministry’s inaction on their long-pending demands. The agitation, spearheaded by the All India Loco Pilots Association, seeks to highlight concerns over excessive working hours, inadequate rest periods, unfilled vacancies, and financial grievances.

The association has called for limiting duty hours to six for passenger and express trains and eight for goods trains, citing recommendations from parliamentary and expert committees. Currently, loco pilots are required to work up to 11 hours at a stretch, with some reportedly clocking 12 to 20 hours, particularly in goods train operations.

"Loco pilots face prolonged duty hours that compromise their concentration and endanger railway safety. Even the Parliamentary Standing Committee's recommendation to cap duty hours at eight has been ignored," the association stated.

The protesting pilots are also demanding a cap of two consecutive night shifts, as opposed to the current practice of four. A high-power committee on duty hours had recommended the change in 2016, citing safety concerns due to fatigue.

The association has further raised concerns over weekly rest periods, claiming that while most railway employees receive 30 hours of rest in addition to a daily 16-hour break, loco pilots are granted only 14 hours. Despite a Karnataka High Court ruling affirming their right to additional rest, the Railways has yet to implement the directive.

"Lack of proper rest leads to accumulated fatigue, which directly impacts alertness and safety in train operations," the association warned, pointing to past accidents attributed to pilot exhaustion.

Another key demand is the swift recruitment of new loco pilots to fill vacant posts. The association noted that out of 1.32 lakh sanctioned positions, at least 25,000 remain unfilled due to retirements and delays in the recruitment process. Although the Railway Recruitment Board raised the number of vacancies from 5,699 to 18,799 in 2024, the selection process has seen significant delays.

In addition, the association is pressing for a 25% hike in running allowances in line with other central government employees and an increased tax exemption on kilometerage allowances. It has also reiterated calls for the scrapping of the National Pension Scheme (NPS) in favor of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), arguing that the Unified Pension Scheme does not provide the financial security promised by the government.

The association expressed frustration over the Railway Ministry’s lack of response, despite assurances given in July 2024 after a delegation had raised the issue with the railway ministry. While two high-level committees were formed to study their grievances, no reports or recommendations have been made public.

"Loco pilots play a crucial role in ensuring safe railway operations, yet their concerns continue to be neglected. The protest aims to draw attention to the urgency of these demands," the statement read.

With no resolution in sight, the upcoming protest underscores mounting tensions between the railway workforce and the authorities.