Shri Rahul Gandhi interacts with rail trackmen, highlights their problems

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi met with trackmen of the Indian Railways. They are the most neglected employees of the Railways, and highlighted their problems on September 3, 2024, while stressing that safe rail travel of crores of people is possible only due to their hard work.

Shri Rahul Gandhi made the remarks in a post on X (twitter), along with a video of his recent interaction with trackmen at the Delhi Cantonment railway station.

"There is 'neither promotion nor emotion' in the system for the trackman brothers who keep the railways dynamic and safe. Trackmen are the most neglected employees in the Indian Railways. I got an opportunity to meet them and understand their problems and challenges," the Congress leader said in his post in Hindi on the micro blogging platform.

“Trackmen walk eight to 10 kilometres every day carrying 35 kg of equipment, with their job starting on the tracks and retiring from the tracks itself,” he added.

It’s very amazing that "Trackmen are not even allowed to sit for the departmental exam, which other employees clear to get better posts. The trackman brothers stated that every year, around 550 trackmen lose their lives in accidents while working because there are not enough arrangements for their safety," Shri Rahul Gandhi said.

"These major demands of the trackman brothers who work day and night in adverse conditions without basic facilities must be heard at all costs. Every trackman should be provided with a safety device during work so that they can receive timely information about the arrival of a train on the track. Trackmen should get the opportunity for promotions through LDCE examination," he added. “Safe rail travel of crores of Indians is possible only due to the hard work of the trackmen,” he said, adding that, "we have to ensure both their safety and progress". In the video, Shri Gandhi asks the trackmen about their issues and safety concerns.

In July this year, Shri Rahul Gandhi met a group of Indian Railways loco pilots.The loco pilots talked about the issues they face at work such as inadequate rest due to understaffing.