Southern Railway to recruit 700 assistant loco pilots

CHENNAI: Southern Railway will get more than 700 assistant loco pilots, who will ease the workload on the existing crew who run trains.

The move comes after the Railway Board enhanced the number of assistant loco pilots who should be recruited in the coming months following a demand from the zone. This will help meet the crew needed to run more passenger and long distance trains.

Once recruited through a written examination, the new staff will join the service after training for six months.

Assistant loco pilots help the loco pilots operate the train. They inform the loco pilot of the signals and signs along the route, identify track defects, handle emergencies, communicate with the train guard and other staff and assess the efficiency of the locomotive.

There was already a vacancy of 219 for which intimation was given to the railway recruitment board to start recruitment. Around 508 were added by the board so that more people could be recruited.

More posts for assistant loco pilots have been approved for all zones. Candidates should have an ITI certificate or diploma in the relevant trade.

The selected assistant loco pilots will get training in railway rules and information about tracks, signals, locomotives, and trains in training centres at Avadi and Trichy.

“The recruitment will help to relieve the pressure on the running staff only to a certain extent. The yardstick to calculate the manpower requirement should be reviewed by taking into account the allotment of weekly off, crew at outstation locations, an increase in the number of trains and inter-railway transfers. Only then we can get the desired number of staff at the divisional level. This is because many people will drop off at different stages of recruitment,” said V Balachandran, central organising secretary, All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA).

The loco pilots had recently staged a protest in Chennai after many were suspended for demanding weekly off and daily rest hours. Loco pilots said they were suffering from fatigue and lack of concentration.