7th Pay Commission Report on Allowances of Running Staff

Railway Board suggests to 7th CPC for continuing the past practice of deciding Running Allowance based on Bi-lateral talks of Railway Board and Employee Associations 

7th CPC has studied all the allowances being eligible for the Running Staff of Indian Railways and advises Railways to decide on mutual discussions with the Unions.

Allowances for Running Staff of Indian Railways

Allowances Covered

1. Accident Allowance
2. Allowance in Lieu of Kilometreage (ALK)
3. Allowance in Lieu of Running Room Facilities
4. Breach of Rest Allowance
5. Ghat Allowance
6. Kilometreage Allowance (KMA)
7. Officiating Allowance
8. Outstation (Detention) Allowance
9. Outstation (Relieving) Allowance
10. Shunting Allowance
11. Special Running Staff Allowance
12. Trip Allowance
13. Waiting Duty Allowance

Present Position

Running Staff of Indian Railways are entitled to “Running Allowance” that includes Kilometreage Allowance (KMA) and Allowance in Lieu of Kilometreage (ALK). Besides these, they are also entitled to some special compensatory allowances, as outlined above. The present dispensation of these allowances is as under:

Accident Allowance

It is granted to those Running Staff of Indian Railways who are held up at any station other than headquarters due to an accident for a period exceeding 8 hours. If the period of detention < 8 hours, no payment is made, but the period of detention is counted towards hours of duty. Presently the payment is made at the rate of Kilometreage Allowance equal to 70 km for every 24 hour or part thereof, reckoned from time of commencement of detention.

Allowance in Lieu of Kilometreage (ALK)

This allowance is granted to running staff of Indian Railways when they are engaged in or employed on non-running duties. The present rates are:

When such running duties are required to be performed at HQ Equal to Pay Element of Running Allowance, i.e.,30% of Basic Pay
When such running duties are required to be performed at outstations Granted Kilometrage Allowance on notional kilometres earned @160 km per day

The activities for which ALK is payable are given below:

  • Attending Medical examinations.
  • Journey on transfer.
  • Joining Time.
  • Refresher Courses and Training in carriage sheds. ·
  • Attending enquiries.
  • Attending law courts.
  • Attending as Defence Counsel. ·
  • Trade Union meetings.
  • Attending First Aid classes.
  • Attending Ambulance classes.
  • Taking part in Territorial Army camps. ·
  • Attending Staff Loan societies.
  • Attending Welfare and Debt committees. ·
  • Attending Sports Duties.
  • Undergoing Sterilisation operation. ·
  • Attending Hindi examination.
  • Guards booked on escort duties.
  • LP/ALP kept as spare for examination/cleaning engine for VIP special trains. ·
  • Any other duties declared in emergency as qualifying for ALK.
  • ALK @ 120 km to LPs working as Power Control/Crew Control.

 

It is payable to running staff of Indian Railways at outstations where running room is not provided. Half the rate is admissible if running room is there but cook is not provided. The present rates are:

Category Rate (Rs.) for every 24 hrs or part there of
Loco Pilots 36.00
Guards 36.00
Loco Pilots (Shunting) 26.00
Firemen/Asstt. Loco Pilots 22.40
Brakesman/Asstt. Guards 22.40

Breach of Rest Allowance

It is granted to running staff of Indian Railways who are detained for running duties before completion of scheduled Rest Period. It is payable as Overtime Allowance under HOER at the rate of 2 hours for every hour by which rest fall short of prescribed hours of rest.

Ghat Allowance

It is granted to running staff of Indian Railways when operating trains on sections with steep gradient (Ghat Sections). This is granted on the premise that the average speed in Ghat Sections is much lower than non-Ghat sections and therefore the Running Staff operating on Ghat Sections will be put to a disadvantage vis-à-vis their counterpart operating on non-Ghat Sections in terms of Kilometreage Allowance if this allowance is not there. The present rates are:

Class-I Ghat Section Computation of kilometres will be 5 times the actual distance travelled
Class-II Ghat Section Computation of kilometres will be 3 times the actual distance travelled

Kilometreage Allowance (KMA)

It is granted to running staff of Indian Railways for being employed on running duties. This allowance is granted to incentivize more train running and to compensate the staff for loss of daily allowance, which is not applicable to them. The current formula for the calculation of KMA is as under:

30% of the mean of scale of Passenger Driver + 20 days’ TA for ordinary class of cities

 X 100

Average Passenger kms per month of Passenger Driver

Based on the above, the present rates of KMA are:

Kin d of Staff

 Category Grade Pay

Rates o f KM A (Rs. per 100 km)
Loco Running Staff Loco Pilot (Mail) 4200 212.5
Loco Pilot (Pass./Motorman) 4200 211.25
Loco Pilot (Goods) 4200 210
Shunter Gr.-I 4200 162.5
Shunter Gr.-II 2400 157.5
Senior Fireman-I, Senior Assistant Loco Pilot 2400

157.5 (101.25 for shunting)
Fireman-I, Assistant Loco Pilot 1900

151.25 (97.5 for shunting)
Senior Second Fireman, Motorman 1900

151.25 (97.5 for shunting)
Second Fireman 1800

127.5 (76.25 for shunting)
Traffic Running Staff Mail/Express Guard 4200 192.5
Passenger Guard 4200 191.25
Sr. Goods Guard 4200 190
Goods Guard 2800 188.75
Sr. Asstt. Guard/Sr. Brakesman 2400 112.5
Asstt. Guard/Brakesman 1900 107.5

Officiating Allowance

It is granted to running staff of Indian Railways when put to officiate in other “running” or “stationery” posts. The present rates are:

When running staff are put to officiate in a “running post” For 30 days or less Entitled to pay as admissible in lower grade PLUS Running Allowance applicable to higher post enhanced by 15% (except for certain posts where enhancement is 30%)
For more than 30 days Pay in the higher post shall be fixed under the normal rules
When running staff are put to officiate in a “stationery post” For 30 days or less As per the rules governing Outstation (Relieving) Allowance
For more than 30 days Entitled to pay as admissible in lower grade PLUS 30% thereof representing the pay in the lower post PLUS 30% thereof representing the pay element in Running Allowance

Outstation (Detention) Allowance

It is paid to running staff of Indian Railways when detained at outstations for more than 16 hours from the time they sign off duty. Presently the payment is made at the rate of Kilometreage Allowance equal to 70 km for every 24 hour or part thereof after expiry of 16 hours from time of ‘signing off.’

Outstation (Relieving) Allowance

It is paid to Running Staff of Indian Railways who are deputed to work temporarily outside their headquarters either on running duties or stationary duties. When running staff are sent to officiate in higher posts, the allowance shall be paid for 14 days only, and when in the same capacity, the allowance shall be paid for a maximum period of 2 months. The rate of the allowance is the same as for Outstation (Detention) Allowance for each day reckoned from the date of arrival at outstation.

Shunting Allowance

It is paid to running staff of Indian Railways working Van Goods trains and Through Goods trains. The present rates are:

Category Rate per shunting
Loco Pilots Rs.33.50
Guards Rs.26.50
Firemen/Assistant Loco Pilots Rs.23.50

Special Running Staff Allowance

Introduced by the VI CPC, this allowance is granted to certain categories of Running Staff in Indian Railways on account of more onerous nature of work as well as process of selection involved. Dearness Allowance is paid on this allowance. The extant rates are:

Loco Pilot (Passenger), Mail Guard Rs.500 pm+DA
Loco Pilot (Mail/Express) Rs.1000 pm+DA

Trip Allowance

It is paid to running staff of Indian Railways working on High Speed Trains from shed to shed. The current rates are:

Category Rate
Loco Pilot (Mail) Rs.24
Co-driver (if provided) and Loco Pilot (Passenger) Rs.18
Mail/Express Guard Rs.18
Assistant Guard/Brakesman Rs.12

Waiting Duty Allowance

It is granted to running staff of Indian Railways when on waiting/standby duty as per roster or due to cancellation/detention of train, etc. Presently the payment is made at the rate of Kilometreage Allowance equal to 15 km per hour up to ten hours.

Demands

Both the recognised federations of Indian Railways, viz., All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) and National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) have requested that “the issue pertaining to payment of Running Allowance(Kilometerage Allowances and ALK) is best left to the Railway Administration, since from time immemorial, the kilometerage entitlements/rates are decided through bi-lateral discussions between Railway Board and Federations.” On the other hand the Ministry of Railway specifically referred the examination of Running Allowance (RA) to the Seventh CPC for its consideration, vide Letter No.E(P&A)II-2014/Misc.3/7th CPC of 20.10.2014.

However, subsequently vide letter No.E(P&A)II-2014/Misc.3/7th CPC of 11.05.2015, the Ministry of Railways reverted to the Commission stating that successive Pay Commissions have “refrained from giving any express recommendations on the methodology/formula for calculation of the rates of Kilometreage Allowance/ALK, ” and “7th CPC may consider to let past practice continue.”

Considering the above, except for the Special Running Staff Allowance, the discussion on these allowances is not included in the report.

Check also the following links for more information on 7th Pay Commission Report

Download 7th CPC Report