All India Station Masters’ Association Protest at 68 Divisional Offices Across India, Including Pune

Pune, 12th August 2024: The All India Station Masters’ Association organized protests today at 68 Divisional Railway Manager’s Offices across the country to address various demands pending with the Ministry of Railways. Station Masters from all railway sections participated in the protests, including a demonstration held in front of the divisional office in Pune.

During the protests, a statement was submitted to senior railway officials on behalf of the association. The key demands included: filling vacancies in the Station Master Cadre to ensure safety in train operations; appointing additional station masters at all stations on double lines; ensuring transparency in the inter-departmental transfer process; conducting a Job Analysis for a six-hour roster in the Lonavala to Daund section; appointing a Supervisor Station Master at all major stations in the Pune division for passenger convenience; minimizing disruptions to station masters’ family lives during transfers; providing RO water purifiers and rest room facilities at all stations; and constructing changing rooms for women station masters.

The protests, involving the All India Station Masters’ Association’s Chief Guide National President Dhananjay Chandratre, Secretary General DS Arora, Zonal Secretary Ajay Sinha, Pune Divisional President Krishna Murari, Secretary Purushottam Singh, Organizing Secretary Amit Kumar, and Station Masters Pralhad Kumar and Dinesh Kamble, among others, aimed to address these issues.

Dhananjay Chandratre highlighted that station masters work tirelessly around the clock, facing various challenges without allowances for night shifts or security. He emphasized the importance of ongoing struggle to meet their demands and called for better facilities, including separate bathrooms and changing rooms for women employees.

Vinod Nair noted that the organization is advocating for their rights through AISMA and described today’s protests as the first step in a safety drive. He acknowledged that while station masters strive to prevent accidents, mistakes can occur if safety measures are feared.

Station Master Rakesh Kumar pointed out that despite the increasing number of trains, the number of station masters has not grown proportionately. He called for at least two station masters at each station and highlighted the rising workload and lack of allowances, which is leading some station masters to retire early due to health issues.