Passengers' safety in focus after fake loco pilots' arrest in Tamil Nadu's Erode

CHENNAI: The Railway Protection Force's (RPF) recent arrest of two teenagers, who were operating trains, has brought concerns about passengers' safety to the fore. A railway staff had allegedly engaged them to operate trains on his behalf. They were caught at the Erode station three days ago, after they operated a locomotive from West Bengal.

While rail passengers' representatives flagged safety concerns, the RPF said the duo has not operated any trains in Southern railway routes and the issue is under further inquiry. However, South Zone of All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) denied any possibilities of using proxy for driving trains and urged the railways to conduct a detailed inquiry to confirm the veracity of the claims. 

During an inspection on Thursday,  in a reserved/differently-abled coach of Shalimar-Thiruvananthpauram special in Erode, RPF detained two men. The duo clad in uniform of a loco pilot showed identity cards. Unlike bus and flight operation, training for running locomotives is yet to be privatised. Even for the proposed private trains, the railways decided to engage its employees.

G Elangkavi, former member, Zonal Railway Users' Consultative Committee (ZRUCC), Southern Railway said proxy in train operation will put the lives of over 2,000 passengers at risk at a time. "If the existing train operation is vulnerable for malpractices, the railways must take serious measures such as bio-metric authentication of drivers to fix the gaps. The issue had to be investigated in the interest of passengers’ safety," added Elankavi.

On April 9 2009, a suburban train from the Chennai Suburban Terminus was hijacked and rammed into a goods train at Vyasarpadi Station, killing four persons. The CB-CID has been inquiring and is yet to identify the person who had driven the train.

K Baskar, former member of Divisional Railway Users' Consultative Committee (DRUCC), Chennai said, "In 2009 accident, the local train was operating at a speed of 100 kmph. We do not have the provision to stop a train even if it’s operated by a wrong person. Considering the possibilities of misuse of trains for causing sabotages, the railways must enhance the safety system in the engine."