Alarmed by frequent instances of signal jumping and trains overshooting platforms WR seeks TLC at home for its tired motormen DRM appeals to motormen’s families to not saddle his employees with domestic chores. Angry motormen say he is ignoring real issues that cause stress

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    The Western Railway’s suburban section has earned the dubious distinction of reporting the highest number of cases of signal jumping and trains overshooting platforms, a clear sign of plummeting safety standards. And WR bosses have been quick to put a finger on the root cause of this problem – lack of tender love and care for motormen when they return home stressed after a day’s work. 
    In a move that has angered motormen, Divisional Railway Manager Shailendra Kumar has issued an appeal to motormen’s families to not burden his employees with household chores so that they are able to rest well and return to work reinvigorated. The appeal, copies of which have been put up in the motormen’s lobby at Churchgate, also urges motormen’s families to create a healthy atmosphere at home, conducive to relaxation. 
    The Western Railway Motormen’s Association (WRMA), which is now in the process of sending its reply to the appeal, has objected to the divisional railway manager linking WR’s safety record to the motormen’s domestic lives. TheWMAhasalsotakenexceptiontotheboss’s expectation that they should ignore their families to improve performance at work. 
    The WMA, in its reply to the appeal, will list the ‘real’ factors responsible for the slipping safety record, as also the working conditions that leave the motormen and other running staff like guards and long-distance train drivers stressed. “It’s ridiculous that now our families are being blamed for Western Railway’s slipping safety performance. In which other line of workareemployeesadvisedtoignoretheirfamilies?Canthesameyardstickapplytooursenior officers,” asked a motorman who did not wish to be identified. 
    Motormen said that its work pressure and the long hours working hours that contribute to stress and lead to cases of signal jumping and trains overshooting platforms. “We have been demanding an assistant driver for each train for quite some time now. The responsibility of a jam-packed train on a single person is too heavy.” 
    What has rattled the divisional manager is the fact that that the 12 instances of ‘signal jumping’ in WR’s suburban section in 2013-14 is the highest in India across the railway’s all four divisions. “It is a worrying statistic, no doubt about it. But our families are not responsible for this. It’s the working conditions that causestress.Don’tweallworksothatweareable to look after our families well,” asked another motorman. 
    The motormen have also been upset by a veiled threat in the appeal. The note says that the safety violations committed by the motormen lead to disciplinary action against the motormen and this can impact the entire family. 
    In a retaliatory strike, the motormen have decided to get their wives to write to the divisional railway manager with their views on his appeal. 
    When Mumbai Mirror contacted the divisional railway manager on Friday, he refused to commentontheappeal.Hesaidhedidnotwish to say anything as the appeal is self-explanatory.

The DRM’s appeal urging family members to not involve motormen in domestic routines