CHENNAI: At a time when the Indian Railways is reeling under severe staff crunch, the national transporter has decided to engage its regular employees as an alternative for dak khalasis or ‘bungalow peons’, who were assigned to do household chores at the officers’ residences. This seems to be a puzzling detour for the transporter that is attempting to usher in “modernity” in services and infrastructure through privatisation.
The rampant and illegal engagement of regular railway staff for doing household chores at officers’ houses, has been for the first time allowed ‘officially’ by the Railway Board, the apex body of Indian Railways. The railway employee unions have strongly objected to the move and dubbed this as an attempt to legitimise misuse of railway staff.
Since the British era, top Railway officers were entitled to have Telephone Attendant cum Dak Khalasis (TADK), who were also called ‘bungalow peons’. The TADKs were assigned to attend phone calls, carry files, deliver letters and parcels to post offices, and also assist officers with household chores. The Railways filled these posts at regular intervals till the 1980s. When these posts got vacant on account of retirement or migration of workers to regular duties, the officials engaged Group D staff -- sweepers, gang men, track men and other lower cadre workers -- at officers’ bungalows.
Numerous complaints of abuse and ill-treatment of employees surfaced then. Multiple committees constituted by the Railways since 1990s had recommended to end the engagement of bungalow peons. In September this year, as part of restructuring the railway administration during the lockdown, the Railway Board decided to do away with the practice of engaging TADK staff, and banned further recruitment of bungalow peons. The move expectedly ruffled the feathers of railway officials.
In a recent order, the Railway Board said, “The TADK posts may be filled by regular employees from any railway unit subject to the willingness of employees and officers concerned. The ban on recruitment of TADKs will continue.” The zonal general managers were then directed to review requirement of such posts keeping in mind operational and functional considerations.
Dakshin Railway Employees’ Union (DREU) vice president R Elangovan said the move would amplify the staff shortage in Southern Railway, which at present have over 15,000 vacancies. “If regular staff is moved to officers bungalows, the other employees will be burdened with more work, thereby affecting their morale. The railways should immediately withdraw the order,” he said.
Echoing similar view, N Kanniah of Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) said he would object to any such attempt. He maintained that he would comment further only after studying the order in detail.
When contacted, a senior Southern Railway official denied engaging regular staff at officers’ residences. “The Board order is being scrutinised and no decision has been taken yet. As per the directive only those staff who are willing to do the work can be deployed,” he added.