Kolkata Metro is facing a shortage of 121 running staff, or 28.34 per cent of its sanctioned strength, prompting the Railway Board to direct Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway to provide additional crew for train operations.
The Railway Board issued the direction after reviewing Kolkata Metro’s staffing position at a meeting in New Delhi on September 2. A letter dated September 3 said the Metro had 306 running staff on its rolls against a sanctioned strength of 427, leaving vacancies that could affect day-to-day operations.
The running staff category includes motormen, who operate Metro trains, and shunters, who assist with train movements and other shunting operations. The corresponding railway designations are loco pilots and assistant loco pilots. Of the 396 sanctioned motorman posts in Kolkata Metro, 282 were filled, while 24 of the 31 sanctioned shunter posts were occupied.
Kolkata Metro is already relying substantially on personnel from other railway zones. Of the 306 staff currently on roll, 164 are on loan from Eastern Railway and 80 from South Eastern Railway, taking the combined number of staff provided by the two zones to 244. The remaining personnel are permanently absorbed staff or running staff from other zonal railways.
The Board directed Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway to make suitable arrangements to meet Kolkata Metro’s staffing requirements. It noted that the Metro’s need for 121 running staff represented 0.6 per cent of the combined on-roll running staff strength of the two zones, which stood at 17,506. Kolkata Metro was also asked to seek options from other railway zones to fill its existing vacancies.
The directions come after Kolkata Metro wrote to the Railway Board on August 24 requesting permission to source eligible running crew from other zones on a loan or deputation basis. The Metro said its network had expanded considerably and continued to grow to meet demand for urban transport. It also pointed to longer operating hours on several services, demand for shorter intervals between trains and requests for additional services, all of which had increased the requirement for motormen.
The Board’s action plan also calls for Kolkata Metro to examine outsourcing or re-engagement for stationary posts and redeploy running staff currently assigned to non-operational duties towards train services. It advised the Metro to improve staff utilisation and minimise its staffing requirements.
The staffing gap comes as Kolkata Metro seeks to operate an expanding network with longer service hours and potentially higher frequency. The immediate operational response will depend on the availability of personnel from Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway and other zones, as well as the Metro’s ability to fill permanent vacancies.
The Railway Board has directed Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway and Kolkata Metro to hold review and coordination meetings every quarter and report progress to the Board. These meetings will monitor staffing arrangements and the implementation of the action plan.
