Report by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
On 9th November 2024, a pointsman Amar Kumar was brutally crushed between the engine and the coach and killed while doing shunting operation at Barauni Junction, Bihar in East Central Railway.
The All India Pointsmen Association (AIPMA) has gone on a Nation-wide protest for three days November 10 to 12, 2024 against the negligence of Rail Authorities.
In one year, 2023-2024 alone 22 points men have been killed or permanently disabled in similar accidents all over the Indian Railways.
The main reason, as in the case of the accident at Barauni Station is that the Railway Administration flouts all standard safety procedures , which mandate that shunting operation, which is a highly hazardous and risky operation, should only be carried out under the supervision of a Shunting Master or else Station Master, Train Manager, or Loco Pilot.
In the case of the Barauni Accident, the shunting was done without any supervisory staff present and only another pointsman was present to assist the deceased pointsman. The Railway Authorities were quick to blame the other pointsman present for the accident and death and to make him a scapegoat.
There are large number of vacancies in all operating and running departments of the Indian Railways and the Railway Authorities are refusing to fill these vacancies. As a result, the required number of supervisory staff, Shunting Masters, Station Managers, Train Managers and Loco Pilots are not available to supervise shunting operations and that leads to loss of innocent lives.
Instead of always blaming junior staff such as Loco Pilots, Station Masters, S& T staff, Train Managers, Pointsmen, etc. for every accident, high level Railway Authorities need to take responsibility and be held accountable for the daily accidents and deaths taking place on Indian Railways.”