Happier the pilot, safer the train journey for passengers.
This theory has made the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) undertake an exercise to keep locomotive pilots’ minds off domestic issues besides making them more comfortable on the job.
In a first of sorts, the NFR organised a get-together disguised as a workshop for members of family of train drivers at Zonal Railway Training Institute in Alipurduar on May 3.
Alipurduar, in West Bengal, is one of five divisions of the NFR that caters to eight north-eastern States and parts of West Bengal and Bihar.
“Mental and physical fitness of locomotive pilots is crucial for safety of passengers. NFR holds periodic counselling sessions for train drivers, but this was the first time that members of their families were invited,” Pranav Jyoti Sharma, NFR spokesperson, said on Wednesday.
Wives and children of 24 drivers discussed their problems and provided suggestions such as improvement of staff quarters, better education for their children and assistance during medical emergencies.
“The get-together was heart-warming. Besides making us feel important, it made our family members realise our job of moving India day and night is no less than that of a soldier on the frontier,” loco pilot Arunava Mitra told The Hindu from Alipurduar.
“Such interactions will go a long way in making members of our family appreciate our job that entails arrival and departure from home at odd hours. Assurances from officers of taking better care of us and our families will also make us more relaxed at work,” his colleague J.K. Sarkar said.
Senior NFR officials said they would be working on positive suggestions and feedback during the interaction with members of train drivers’ families. These include upgrading crew changing lobbies — where drivers hand over and take charge — at important stations and running rooms with provisions for food and lodging.
“The ultimate objective is to ensure a stress-free working condition for drivers, because safe operation of trains depends on their judgement,” Mr. Sharma said.
