Concerns about manpower shortages in Indian Railways

Source: The post concerns about manpower shortages in Indian Railways has been created, based on the article “Railway Board Chairman flags shortage of manpower” published in “The Hindu” on 14th August 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3- Infrastructures

Context: The article discusses how Satish Kumar, the new Chairman of the Railway Board, raised concerns about manpower shortages in Indian Railways. He urged for more staff due to increased infrastructure, rising train numbers, safety concerns, and expanded railway assets.

For detailed information on the issue of Indian railway safety read this article here

What Has Led to the Need for More Manpower?

1. Increased Infrastructure: The Indian Railways has seen significant growth in infrastructure, including new lines, trains, and assets, requiring more manpower for safe and efficient operation.
2. Rise in Capital Expenditure: Railways’ capital expenditure increased from ₹1.48 lakh crore in 2019-20 to ₹2.62 lakh crore in 2023-24, expanding assets and the need for additional staff.
3. Growth in Locomotives: The number of locomotives increased by 59.86%, from 11,739 in 2019 to 15,564 in 2024.
4. Passenger Amenities: The number of escalators grew from 656 to 1,436, and lifts increased by 196% over five years. Additionally, 63,456 km of railway route has been electrified, up from 35,488 km.
5. Financial Improvements: From 2019-20 to 2023-24, passenger earnings rose by 40%, and freight loading increased by 31.4%, indicating significant revenue growth for the Railways.

What safety concerns are associated with staff shortages?

1. There have been several major accidents in the last two years, raising safety concerns.
2. Trade unions have long demanded the filling of vacancies, especially in safety-related jobs.
3. Satish Kumar stressed that outsourcing tasks like track and locomotive maintenance is not feasible for ensuring safety.

What Should be Done?

1. Urgently recruit additional manpower to ensure the safe operation of trains due to the rapid growth of railway infrastructure.
2. The Ministry of Railways should be granted the authority to create non-gazetted posts, especially in safety-related categories.
3. Outsourcing critical tasks like track, locomotive, and signalling maintenance is not viable due to safety concerns.

Question for practice:

Discuss the factors that have contributed to the need for more manpower in Indian Railways.