Railway Board has drafted comprehensive measures to upgrade skilling of artisans-cum-supervisors of private contractors engaged in track laying and works by side of tracks. The aim is to ensure availability of competent manpower for meeting requirement of highly skilled artisans as Railways is now focusing on rolling out high speed rail network. For the same it has relayed instructions to ground units across the country, laying out roadmap for promoting skilling, especially for those engaged in Railway projects. Through the training the Board wants to have a certified pool of artisans and supervisors in the critical and safety related activities. While holding the skill upgradation programmes, the units have been directed to prepare a database so that such certified trained personnel can be drafted on duty when required as per project requirements.

 

The focus is on track related works, for which Zonal Railways is asked to organise training of site supervisors of contractors. For them, compulsory training programmes are to be organised at Multi Disciplinary Division Training Institutes (MDDT), Divisional Engineering Training Center or any other railway training institute/school authorized by the concerned PCE or CMD/MD for PSUs. Training Module: The Board said standardised off-line training programme of one week's duration must be approved by PCE, the module shall cover method statements, safe work practices, personal safety including use of personal protective equipments (PPEs) and Do's and Don'ts relating to major track renewal and track maintenance activities executed through contracts, with due emphasis on safety as well as personal safety. Post completion of the training programme, the concerned training institute/school shall issue a competency certificate to the participants.

 

The certificate would be valid for a period of two years, after which refresher training and recertification shall be mandatory. The training charges shall be levied in accordance with previously issued instructions and entire cost of training is to be borne by the contractor. The Board also dictated that all future tenders and contracts involving trackrelated works or work affecting safety of track shall invariably include a suitable Special Condition of Contract (SCC) mandating the deployment of trained and certified contractor's site supervisors. In respect of ongoing contracts, all contractor's site supervisors engaged in track-related works are to compulsorily undergo the prescribed training and obtain the requisite certification.

 

The rules said no untrained or uncertified contractor's site supervisor shall be permitted to be engaged in any ongoing contract after January 1, 2027. The concerned Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADEN) can issued the competency certificate. Zonal Railways have been directed for timely development and implementation of the training programme through the concerned training institutes and strict compliance with the instructions. CTE of the railway shall ensure that a suitable monitoring mechanism has been put in place by each of the Divisions to implement above instructions.