Denied privileges by British for helping freedom fighters, rly's ticket checkers may get rights back

Denied a special status by the British 87 years ago for helping freedom fighters, ticket checkers of Indian Railways could finally get back the position of railways' 'running staff' if a committee formed by the government gives its approval.

Loco drivers, assistant loco drivers, guards, brakesman and others who help in movement of a train are called the 'running staff' and get a host of benefits -- from higher allowances to air-conditioned resting rooms.

Ticket checkers also held this special status but was stripped of it in 1931 on charges of helping freedom fighters by providing them seats in trains and transporting their consignments from one destination to the other, an official said.

In an order issued recently, the railway ministry has formed a committee of three members with a mandate to decide on the issue within the next three months.

As 'running staff', drivers and guards on trains get a whole lot of benefits. Their salaries are higher by 30 per cent from the ticket checking staff, they only work in 10 hour shifts and get relieved by a reliever if the train is delayed.

The 'running staff' also gets a higher daily allowance, while the ticket checking staff get a paltry Rs 400-Rs 500 as daily allowance. Their pensions are also lower by at least Rs 5,000-Rs 6,000 as compared to the 'running staff'.

They also get air-conditioned running rooms to rest, cooks and even callmen to wake them up on time, officials said.

He said that after partition, ticket checkers were given the status of running staff by Pakistan in 1962 and in 2004 Bangladesh accorded them the benefits.

In September this year, about 100 parliamentarians, including Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, have written letters to Railways Minister Piyush Goyal for the restoration of their running staff status.