We reproduce below an interview with Dr. Hemant Soni, General Secretary, Indian Railway Ticket Checking Staff Organisation (IRTCSO), conducted by Dr. A. Mathew, Convenor, All India Forum Against Privatisation (AIFAP).
In the interview Dr. Soni has highlighted various specific problems faced by the ticket checking staff and has reaffirmed his organizations’ commitment to be part of AIFAP and the united struggle against privatisation.
Dr. A. Mathew: I thank you for leading a very strong delegation to the “All-India Conference on Privatisation in Electricity and Other Sectors,” held in New Delhi on 15 April 2025, organised by All India Forum Against Privatisation (AIFAP).
Dr. Hemant Soni: Since AIFAP was formed, we have been with you and we will always be with you.
I attended this important conference along with Shri Sanjay Singh, our National President, Smt. Rekha Sharma, our National Vice President, and Shri Vipin Goyal, our National Executive Committee member.
Dr. Mathew: What are the specific problems faced by Ticket Checking Staff of the Indian Railways and what are the demands raised by IRTCSO to solve these problems?
Dr. Soni: Some of the problems we face are—
- Allowance As Per Running Staff.
We should get Running allowance, like Loco Pilots and Train Managers do, as we are also in a moving train like them. We have submitted our demand to the Railway Board, and a Parliamentary Committee was formed on this issue, but they did not have any meeting and then conveniently dropped the issue.
- Resthouse At Par with Running Rooms.
In 2018, Ashwin Lohani was the Chairman of Railway Board. He gave the order that all Ticket Checking Resthouses should be at par with the Running Rooms, and that they should be provided with AC, food and bedding of clean and proper quality. Despite the Railway Board’s orders, even now, 80% of the restrooms are in poor condition.
- Provision of Body Cams.
There is the problem of ticketless travel in trains. There are instances where if a person is asked to pay a fine, then some false allegations are made against us of manhandling them, and since we cannot give any proof from our side, the Railway Police arrest us. So a bodycam will give the proof.
In Bilaspur division, they have introduced it on a trial basis. It should be introduced all over the Indian Railways.
- Strong Safety Mechanisms in Trains.
There should be male and female GRPs in every train. The female GRPs are needed as there are at times particular issues regarding women.
- Gazetted Status to DCTI.
Divisional Chief Ticketing Inspector (DTCI) should be a gazetted officer.
- Removal of Seiling on Night Duty Allowance.
Currently, Ticket Checkers with grade pay above Rs. 4600/- do not get night duty allowance. Our demand is that all ticket checkers should get night duty allowance.
- Briefcase Allowance.
Ticket Checkers with grade pay above Rs.4200/- get briefcase allowance. Our demand is that all Ticket Checkers should get briefcase allowance. Currently there are a little over 26000 Ticket Checkers in Indian Railways.
- Dress Allowance.
Our dress allowance, which is currently only Rs. 5000/-, should be Rs. 10000/- on par with Station Masters and the RPF.
- Timely Promotions.
We have raised this demand with the Railway Board and also with the Zonal head.
Dr. Mathew: Ever since the policy of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation (LPG) was launched in 1991, successive governments at the centre have taken steps to privatise public sector industries, whether it is Railways, Electricity, Banks, Insurance, Defense, Port and Docks, Air India, BSNL, Steel, Oil and Gas, etc. It is to oppose these steps that AIFAP was formed in 2021. Our Conference in New Delhi on 15 April 2025 was an important step in bringing various Federations/Associations of these sectors together on one platform.
What do you feel needs to be done to oppose these policies?
Dr. Soni: I had expressed my views at the AIFAP conference on 15 April 2025 at New Delhi.
Privatisation is being done in different ways: corporatisation, PPP model, outright sale of PSUs, etc.
If the government is privatising PSUs, who will benefit? Existing employees, the public, and the private employees who will replace government employees will not benefit. Only capitalists and FDI holders will benefit.
The public of the country, government employees, and the private employees who will replace government employees will all suffer.
The people of the country should join us in the struggle against privatisation. Until they join us, we will not be able to completely stop privatisation, although we may be able to get some small successes.
I agree that a united struggle of all public sector workers against privatisation is very important, and that is why IRTCSO has been with AIFAP right from the beginning. I agree with the different views presented at the AIFAP conference on 15 April 2025 on how to take the struggle forward.
I would also like to add some additional comments on this struggle. First of all, we workers in public sector enterprises should support each other. There are 27 lakh electricity workers, 12 lakh workers in railways. There are 4.6 crore employees in government and public sector units. Along with our families, we are a big number. For example, if all of us public sector workers decide to use public sector banks, insurance companies, etc. and improve services in public sector institutions, then that will strengthen these institutions. People will also then support us.
I am in charge of Itarsi Ticket Checking staff. If I have to get the best result, my own branch should set an example. For this, I need to have good relations with the people.
The same applies to all government employees, whether banks or insurance. We have to behave well with the people. If we do not, they will leave us and go to the private sector.
I will explain the reality of our work as Ticket checkers (TCs). If a person wants to go from Mumbai to Gorakhpur, in an unreserved or general compartment, then he has to stand in a long line. The ticket costs Rs. 415. After getting the ticket, he has to stand again in another line to board the train. If he avoids getting a ticket and goes straight to the train boarding line, there is a good chance of him getting a seat in the train. Then, when the TC comes, he will happily pay Rs. 665, which includes the cost of the ticket (Rs. 415) with a fine of Rs. 250. For most people, time is more precious than money. The railways should understand: this is the cause of people traveling without tickets.
Also, we should use the facilities provided by the government and raise complaints about its malfunction and put pressure on the authorities to improve the facilities.
For example, I go to AIIMS hospital In Bhopal and encourage others also to take treatment there. I take many people to AIIMS for healthcare needs. There are many government schemes like Jan Aushalya scheme where you get 80% discount on medicines. We should use these. Also Jan Arogya schemes, where you can get operations done at discounted rates.
If we do not use these at all, it gives an excuse to the government to close them down completely. We should put pressure on elected MPs and MLAs to improve the facilities and create more AIIMS as well as well-functioning government hospitals all over the country.
We government and public sector employees have a duty to use these facilities and agitate for continuous improvement.
Regarding education, for higher education people prefer government engineering and medical colleges which have qualified teachers with at least PhD degrees. Although rooms may not be air conditioned, you are assured of good-quality education. In private colleges, staff with poor qualifcations and pay are employed to reduce costs. They may give students AC class rooms, but the standard of education will not be good.
As for primary and secondary education, there are Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) schools for government employees, which have good facilities, as well as Jawahar Novadaya Vidyalays. We should use these schools and put pressure to create more KV schools.
While we agitate together with the public to force the government to allocate more funds for health, education, transport and other public services, we should agitate for continuous improvement of existing facilities.
Dr. Mathew: Thank you very much Dr. Soni for presenting your views.