Indian Railways– 155 Trains Express Declared High-Speed, Thousands of Railway Staff to Benefit

Indian Railways: Good news for railway workers. The list released by the Railway Board includes modern trains like Vande Bharat, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, and Tejas, along with Prayagraj Express, Mahabodhi, Shivganga, and Shramshakti Express. Until now, these trains were not technically included in the high-speed list despite their high-speed running speeds, which prevented employees from receiving special allowances.

Under the new system, the mileage rate for loco pilots has been increased from Rs 485 per 100 kilometers to Rs 606, while for guards, it has increased from Rs 439 to Rs 549. According to railway officials, operating trains at speeds of 130 to 160 kilometers per hour is a challenging and highly concentrated task, so this allowance is considered a recognition of the employees’ special performance.

CPRO Shashikant Tripathi stated that several trains, including the Prayagraj Express, have been included in this list. Running staff allowances have been increased. Amidst the increasing number of electric vehicles and the ever-rising prices of petrol and diesel, now the Railways is also going to take a big step towards providing convenience to the e-vehicle drivers. North Central Railway has started preparations to set up electric vehicle charging stations outside many railway stations.

Tender has been issued for this. According to railway officials, charging stations will be built at many major stations of Prayagraj division. These include Naini Railway Station, Manikpur Railway Station, Chunar Railway Station and Chheoki Railway Station. Charging station will be built on Jail Road side in Naini station premises, while this facility will be developed on the side of RTO office at Chheoki Railway Station.

According to railway officials, the changes in mileage rates and trip allowances could increase the monthly salary of running staff by Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. CPRO Shashikant Tripathi explained that operating trains at speeds of 130 to 160 km/h requires high mental stress and concentration. This allowance is a recognition of this specialized skill.

The facility of getting clean blankets, sheets and pillow covers for the passengers at the railway stations of Prayagraj division is going to improve soon. North Central Railway has started preparations to install a state-of-the-art mechanized laundry at Prayagraj KCNB Coaching Depot. For this, an e-tender of about Rs 70.71 crore has been issued. This laundry will be built on the boot model and will operate for the next 10 years. Here, the linen used in trains i.e. bedsheets, blankets, pillow covers and towels will be washed by machines. Railways believes that with this, passengers will be able to get cleaner and better quality linen than before.