Chennai: Engineering, postgraduates become loco pilots

Chennai: Of the 4,217 loco pilots in Southern Railway, 399 are engineering graduates, according to data from Southern Railway.

According to loco pilots, it is no longer unusual to see engineering graduates or postgraduates taking up a loco pilot’s job.

“Lack of employment opportunities is the main issue. When jobs in the engineering sector are difficult to find, preference shifts to joining railways as loco pilots,” said a loco pilot who has been working in the Chennai division for over 10 years. The other reason is the financial prospects.

“Without a doubt, they get paid for the working hours, as well as the overtime hours,” said the leader of a union of loco pilots in Perambur. “After a certain period of experience, their salary would easily exceed over a lakh.”
 Chennai division has 160 engineering graduates working as loco pilots at different levels.

What appears to be a piece of statistic goes beyond the allure of having a government job, which, though pays well but comes at a price of excruciating hours and little or no personal life.

But the allure, Southern Railway officials say, lies in the allowances they get.

The loco pilots get paid running allowance (based on kilometers covered), HRA (house rent allowance), Daily Allowance, Night Duty Allowance, besides the Dearness Allowance, Transport Allowance, and National Holiday Allowance.

Many loco pilots, this correspondent spoke to, however, concurred about the health issues caused in the profession, especially from night time trips, lopsided circadian rhythm, lack of rest, irregular food timings, and inability to attend to nature’s calls while on duty.