Loco Pilot Vacancy: A day after a fatal rail accident involving an express and a cargo train in West Bengal, the Railways on Tuesday announced to hire three times more Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs) than planned as part of efforts to strengthen safety. In a circular to General Managers, the Railway Board said that 18,799 Assistant Loco Pilot vacancies will be filled across various zones. Earlier it was planned to fill 5,696 vacancies.
Although the zones have been asked to complete the recruitment process immediately, it is expected to take at least six months to fill the vacancies, as the posts have to be advertised and candidates have to pass written, aptitude and medical tests. Training is required before posting as loco pilot.
"This decision is aimed at meeting the growing demand for skilled workers in the railway sector and underlining the government's commitment to increase employment opportunities across the country," an official said.
The board directed the zones to take "immediate action" to fill the "increased vacancies" of the ALP in consultation with the Railway Recruitment Board. It said the decision was taken due to the additional demand of ALP from Zonal Railways.
Welcoming the decision, All India Loco Running Staff Association central organizing secretary V Balachandran said they had earlier sought an increase in ALP vacancies. The Railway Board has now approved it. This will reduce the load on the system to a certain extent. There is a need to review the current norms of manpower requirement considering the current rest demand and inter-railway transfer requests.
The loco pilots' association has also been demanding reduction in the long working hours of the drivers. Earlier in the day, the Congress had alleged that 21% of the posts of loco pilots and 8% of assistant loco pilots are lying vacant in the railways.
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