BHUBANESWAR: In a significant manpower restructuring exercise, more than 1,200 posts in the East Coast Railway (ECoR) are set to be surrendered or redistributed during the current financial year, following a fresh rationalisation target issued by the Ministry of Railways.
In a recent directive, the Railway Board has instructed all zonal railways, production units and other establishments to achieve a two per cent rationalisation of manpower against the sanctioned strength during the fiscal.
Around 29,608 posts out of a total sanctioned strength of 14,80,455 have been identified for surrender or redistribution. The ECoR has been assigned a target of 1,239 posts against its sanctioned strength of 61,956 as on April 1, 2026.
The move, however, has triggered legitimate concerns over its timing, particularly as the zone is witnessing substantial investments in infrastructure while already operating below its sanctioned manpower strength.
ECoR has been allocated Rs 10,928 crore for 2026-27, with projects including new lines, station redevelopment and road overbridges, at various stages of execution. This apart a significant chunk of its existing personnel are engaged in maintenance and safety-related works as well as track jobs.
Representatives of East Coast Railway Shramik Union expressed fear that there are more chances of majority posts getting surrendered, which will result in retrenchment of the workers. The provision of redistribution, though, creates scope for absorption of employees in other required fields. “The government appears to have restricted itself to cadre surrender, cadre redeployment and abolition of posts through work study. Vacancies in the safety category are hardly receiving enough attention,” said an office-bearer.
“We have a working committee meeting in the coming days where the matter will be taken up for deliberation,” he added.
The representative, however, said more than rationalisation, the government should focus on expediting recruitment process for the existing vacancies, especially in the safety and maintenance-related sectors, where inadequate manpower has remained a concern, to minimise the impact of restructuring.
ECoR sources, meanwhile, said there are many posts that have gone obsolete due to use of technology, railway modernisation and outsourcing of manpower. However, how many of these posts will be redistributed or abolished is yet to be finalised, sources added.