Lok Sabha Question No. 298 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-22
Subject: Safety Related Vacancies
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: BOORA NARSAIAH GOUD, P. KARUNAKARAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.298 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2017

## SAFETY RELATED VACANCIES

- *298. DR. BOORA NARSAIAH GOUD: SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
- (a) the total staff strength in safety category in the Railways, zone-wise;
- (b) whether a large number of vacancies relating to safety are lying vacant in various zones of the Railways and if so, the details thereof, zone-wise;
- (c) whether the existing staff is overburdened with work due to such shortage of staff; and
- (d) if  so,  the  efforts  the  Railways  is  making  to  conduct  a special drive to fill up all the safety related vacancies in all zones expeditiously?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 298 BY DR. BOORA NARSAIAH GOUD AND SHRI  P.  KARUNAKARAN  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 22.03.2017 REGARDING SAFETY RELATED VACANCIES

(a) &    (b):  The  total  number  of  on  roll  strength  and  vacancy  in safety  category  in  Group  'C'  and  erstwhile  Group  'D'  in  Zonal Railways as on 31.12.2016 is as under:

| S.No.   | Zonal Railway      |   On Roll Strength |   Vacancy |
|---------|--------------------|--------------------|-----------|
| 1.      | Central            |              55451 |     10520 |
| 2.      | East Coast         |              26708 |      5422 |
| 3.      | East Central       |              48163 |     10448 |
| 4.      | Eastern            |              56953 |     10009 |
| 5.      | North Central      |              26779 |      8992 |
| 6.      | North Eastern      |              21590 |      4808 |
| 7.      | Northeast Frontier |              38363 |      5707 |
| 8       | Northern           |              62942 |     15384 |
| 9.      | North Western      |              24283 |      6945 |
| 10.     | South Central      |              50530 |      8929 |
| 11.     | South East Central |              27706 |      4473 |
| 12.     | South Eastern      |              45400 |      7316 |
| 13.     | Southern           |              46638 |      5047 |
| 14.     | South Western      |              18273 |      2867 |
| 15.     | West Central       |              34235 |      6888 |
| 16      | Western            |              48513 |      8840 |
| 17      | Metro              |               1326 |       316 |
|         | Total              |             633853 |    122911 |

(c) No, Madam.  The  working  hours  of  Railway  servants are regulated as per statutory provisions of the Railways Act, 1989 and the Railway Servants (Hours of Work & Period of Rest) Rules, 2005. In  accordance  with  these  provisions,  the  Railway  servants  are classified as 'Intensive' 'Continuous' and 'Essentially Intermittent'. Zonal Railway Administrations prepare the duty rosters keeping in view  administrative  and  operational  requirements.  However,  in emergent situations, they are sometimes required to work beyond

these rostered hours of work for which they are suitably compensated as per extant rules.

(d)  Filling up of vacancies is a continuous process. The policy of the Railway Administration is to fill up the vacancies as per requirement,  as  per  laid  down  procedure.  The  total  number  of persons  empanelled  for  various  Group  'C'  and  erstwhile  Group  'D' posts including safety  category during the last five years is 1,92,026.

*****