Central Railway Motormen Drop Protest Plan After Officials Address Concerns

Motormen of Mumbai Division under Central Railway have called off their silent protest planned for Sunday, following reassurances from railway authorities during a meeting held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Saturday.

The motormen, represented by the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh, had earlier issued a notice on Friday to the Divisional Railway Manager announcing a non-cooperation campaign titled “One Motorman, One Duty,” in which they had planned to abstain from any overtime work. The protest was aimed at expressing their concerns over increased workload and surveillance due to the introduction of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Crew Voice and Video Recording System (CVVRS) in motorman cabins.

Saturday’s discussion involved senior officials, including Additional Divisional Railway Manager M. L. Vishnoi, along with union leaders such as A. K. Dubey, General Secretary of Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh, and Vivek Shishodia, Divisional President for Mumbai.

During the dialogue, railway authorities emphasized their intent to ensure a stress-free working environment for motormen. They clarified that the ADAS and CVVRS systems would be implemented only for the purposes of constructive evaluation and counseling—not disciplinary measures.

The motormen also voiced concerns over the physical burden of mandatory hand gesturing at signals, especially in Mumbai’s crowded suburban rail network. In response, officials agreed to make hand gesturing optional, confirming that no disciplinary actions would be taken for omitting gestures as long as the Auxiliary Warning System (AWS) remains functional, until further notice.