New Delhi: The Signalling and Telecommunication Department Staff Union is demanding a review of the Joint Procedure Order (JPO) after the disconnection for repairing signal failure or maintenance. Speaking on the disconnection issue, Alok Chandra Prakash, General Secretary, of the Indian Railways Signal and Telecommunication Maintainers’ Union told ETV Bharat, “Disconnection is not allowed only due to recent Joint Procedure Order-disconnection/reconnection protocols for S&T gears after Balasore Accident.”
“As per the JPO, the first train is not allowed to pass on a green signal; instead, it is allowed to pass with caution. S&T staff are now struggling with disconnections and are being forced to work without disconnections for maintenance and rectification of failures,” Prakash said.
According to the railway’s letter, issued two months ago, it is reiterated that Signal failures should be attended to by taking proper failure memos and disconnection memos only. After rectification and thorough testing, it should be reconnected by the proper reconnection memos as per the standard formats.
Similarly, the Railway Board had earlier issued an order wherein it was mentioned it has been decided by the board to amend para no 2.3 and 2.4 of the JPO referred. Amended paras are after completion of work, prior to acceptance of reconnection by SM, the correspondence test of the gear disconnected should be done. Thereafter, the first train to pass on the Main Line should be dealt with. As per para 2.4, circuit alteration works, where the change in existing wiring is to be carried in the Relay Room, should be done during traffic block/non-interlocking only.
Discussing the disconnection issue, Navin Kumar, National President, of Indian Railways S&T Maintainers’ Union told ETV Bharat, “We are demanding the review of the recent JPO order on disconnection for the repair of failure. The staff need proper time for repairing the signal, gear and point, but it is not allowed.”
Jagadish Beniwal of IRSTMU told ETV Bharat, “The trains are running late due to a yellow signal after repair work. S&T department staff and station staff double check the signal despite that trains pass on yellow light which reduces their speed causing late running.”
