Patna: An unusual situation arose at Thakurganj railway station in Kishanganj district, falling under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) jurisdiction, on Wednesday when the loco pilot of the Malda-Siliguri DEMU (75719) refused to continue operating the train, stating that his duty hours had ended.According to railway sources, the loco pilot informed the railway authorities that his prescribed working hours were over and he subsequently stepped down from the locomotive. The move left hundreds of passengers stranded and frustration at the station for several hours, sources said, adding many of them took buses to continue their onward journeys.The railways had no option but to arrange for another loco pilot to take charge of the train and operate it onward to Siliguri. Under railway safety guidelines for running staff, loco pilots are not permitted to continue working beyond their designated duty hours of nine to 10 hours at a stretch, sources said.NFR chief public relations officer K K Sharma said the situation arose because the DEMU train had already been delayed by nearly three hours on its way from Malda. The delay was caused by technical problems in a goods train that was running ahead of the passenger train, affecting the movement of the DEMU, he said.“As a result of the delay, the loco pilot’s duty hours were exhausted by the time the train reached Thakurganj station. In view of safety rules, he declined to continue and the decision was in line with operational guidelines,” Sharma added.The railways did not take any action against the loco pilot, citing safety considerations. Instead, another loco pilot was rushed to the station to relieve the stranded passengers, the CPRO said, adding the train remained detained at Thakurganj station from 2.52pm to 6.52pm before it resumed its onward journey towards Siliguri.
