Several station masters staged a protest at the Divisional Railway Manager's Office, Central Railway, Pune on Monday in response to their various long-pending demands, including the hiring of additional station masters, allowances for extra work, and improved basic facilities.
During the protest, the All India Station Masters Association (AISMA) submitted a memorandum to senior railway officials. Their demands included the immediate filling of vacant positions in the station master cadre to ensure safety in train operations, the appointment of additional station masters at all stations on double lines, and greater transparency in the inter-divisional request transfer process.
The association also called for a "job analysis" for the six-hour roster in the Lonavala to Daund section, the appointment of a supervisory station master at all major stations in the Pune division for passenger convenience, and measures to ensure that transfers of station masters do not disrupt their family lives.
Additionally, they requested the provision of RO water purifiers and restrooms at all stations, as well as the establishment of changing rooms for female station masters.
Dhananjay Chandratre, President, AISMA, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, "Station masters work around the clock, often facing various crises at railway stations, but do not receive allowances for night shifts or safety bonuses. We are here to draw the government's attention to our plight. We will claim what is rightfully ours."
Station Master Vinod Nair emphasised the necessity of separate bathrooms and changing rooms for female staff, highlighting that AISMA is fighting for their rights. He noted that while they were the first to initiate safety drives, the pressure to conduct these drives might lead to mistakes, potentially resulting in accidents.
Station Master Rakesh Kumar expressed concerns about the increasing number of trains without a corresponding increase in station masters. He called for each station to have at least two station masters and for measures to address incidents of assaults on station masters. He pointed out that despite the increased workload, allowances have not been raised, leading many to opt for early retirement due to adverse health effects.
This protest was carried out at 68 divisional offices nationwide. Leading the protest were All India Station Masters Association’s national president Dhananjay Chandratre, Secretary General DS Arora, Zonal Secretary Ajay Sinha, Pune Divisional President Krishna Murari, Secretary Purushottam Singh, Organizing Secretary Amit Kumar, and station masters Pralhad Kumar and Dinesh Kamble, among others.
