9 déc. 2025
The All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) demanded rules for railway government employees similar to those in the private sector.
India’s new FDTL rules are now among the world's strictest, compared with the US, Canada, or Europe. Encouraged by these, the railway’s locomotive pilots proposed:
A Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS)-inspired system for railway pilots.
Six-hour daily duty limit
16 hours of rest after each shift
Weekly resting hours in addition to daily rest.
They criticised the government for being lenient with airlines. Globally, aviation fatigue rules are more stringent than those for railways. Aviation rules such as Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) and FRMS are scientifically based, whereas railway rules are often based on old laws or negotiated agreements.
The EU has strict overall duty limits and rest periods, similar to those in aviation. The House of Service Act of the US mandates off-duty hours for the railway staff, like 10 hours after every shift. Australia and Canada apply fatigue modelling to determine railway staff schedules.
Check out my new book, THE BLACK FLAMES, on Amazon Kindle. A gripping, high-stakes mystery.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.6 stars on Amazon
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on Goodreads