Spate of positive breathalyser results among loco pilots baffles rail authorities

Southern Railway authorities were recently caught off guard by a sudden increase in positive breathalyser results among loco pilots during mandatory tests before start of duty. However, subsequent blood tests at the chemical examiner’s laboratory revealed that alcohol content in almost all blood samples was nearly zero.

This has forced the Southern Railway, Thiruvananthapuram, to issue a circular instructing all running staff (loco pilots) to avoid consumption of homoeo medicine, soft drinks and tender coconut water, plantain, cough syrup, mouthwash and so on before signing on for duty. The circular grabbed headlines and has been trolled on social media platforms. 

However, sources in Railways told The Hindu that a section of loco pilots seemed to be taking Railways for a ride as consuming products such as mouthwash, cough syrup, and other mentioned items shortly before the test might lead to false readings due to the alcohol content in those items.

Railways cannot employ loco pilots for duty if the presence of alcohol is detected in exhaled air during the breathalyser tests. It will take a couple of hours for the medical examination report to come. The loco pilots can be engaged for duty only after the medical examination report is received. This causes strain on the crew links of Railways as the utility will have to arrange additional staff in a short period of time. Normally, loco pilots turn up for duty just 30 minutes ahead of the operation of the trains. It will take at least two hours for Railways to arrange alternative crew for operating the trains.

So far a dozen instances of loco pilots turning positive in breathalyser tests had been reported in Kerala and Railways could not take action against such loco pilots as medical examination results did not reveal alcohol content in blood, said the sources.

Strained relations

Earlier, the strained relations between a section of loco pilots and railway administrative officials in the Thiruvananthapuram division of Southern Railway had grabbed headlines. A section of loco pilots had launched an indefinite strike on June 1 saying that train running staff would not work for more than 10 hours at a stretch, would not do more than two consecutive night duties, and avail themselves of 30 hours of periodical rest in addition to the daily rest of 16 hours. Though the strike was called off midway without meeting the demands following conciliatory talks, this seemed to be the trigger for the latest spate of positive breathalyser tests, said the sources.

‘Infringement on freedom’

On the other hand, loco pilots termed the circular unfortunate and as infringing upon their personal freedom.

Meanwhile, the loco pilots in Indian Railways under the banner of the All India Loco Running Staff Association started a 36-hour fast in all railway divisions in the country on Thursday raising various demands, including limiting duty hours to six hours for express/passenger trains and eight hours for goods trains, limiting consecutive night duties to two, allowing weekly rest along with 16 hours of daily rest, among other demands. In the Thiruvananthapuram division, the fast is being held in front of the Ernakulam South Railway Station.