BENGALURU: BMRCL has extended certain allowances to Operation and Maintenance (O&M) employees and washing and transport allowances to all the employees with effect from July 1, 2018. The decision has been taken in recognition of their efforts in successful completion of one year of commissioning of Phase-1.
“O&M employees, in the court of their duty, face job-related difficulties/hardships such as working at odd hours, etc. It is on account of their efforts, amongst other factors, that Metro has successfully completed one year of commissioning of Phase-1. In view of this, it has been decided to extend the following benefits”, said G S Patri, General Manager (HR) in the order dated June 22.
According to the copy of the order accessed by The New Indian Express, night duty allowance, hard duty allowance, washing allowance and transport allowances are being extended to O&M employees July 1 onwards. These allowances are subject to review, depending on the financial position of the Corporation, the order said.
Night duty allowance is extended to employees who perform duties between 10 pm and 6 am. The formulation of weight of 10 minutes for every hour of duty performed between the said period will be considered for calculation of this allowance subject to a maximum of 14-night duties in a month. The hourly night duty allowance is equal to Basic plus DA/200.
The hard duty allowance is extended to train operators at a flat rate of Rs100 for every sign-on. In addition to this, train operators will be paid Rs 2 per km as an incentive for driving more than 2,000 km in a month. Washing allowance is extended to all the employees at the rate of 5 per cent of basic pay per month and the transport allowance/conveyance allowance is extended to all the employees at the rate of 10 per cent of basic pay per month.
GENERAL HOLIDAYS ALLOWANCE
The non-executive employees of O&M who perform roster duties on National holidays/General Holidays are entitled to earned leave (EL) in lieu of General Holidays (GHs) which can either be encashed or utilised as per the existing rules.
In case those employees willing to encash EL in lieu of GHs are being paid one day salary (Basic + DA only) and in respect of those employees not willing to encash EL, the same is being credited into their Leave account which can only be utilised as leave. At present weekly offs in respect of rostered employees falling on GHs, no GH benefits are being extended.
There have been requests from the employees for extending the GH benefits in respect of weekly off falling on GHs. The management has examined this issue and has agreed to extend GHs benefits to such of those employees whose weekly off falls on GHs. But it has issued certain guidelines to be followed while deploying staff on GHs.