Finally Indian Railways is procuring jackets & tools for employees. Read the thread how things are changing.
1 A gangman’s job is extremely hazardous — 768 track maintainers were run over by trains between 2012 and 2017, according to the IR. Besides that, gangmen have to carry heavy equipment while doing the rounds.
2 He carries a fish bolt spanner to tighten nuts and bolts, a tricolour lamp to alert locomotive drivers of any potential danger on the tracks and a rod weighing two kg to fix the lamp, if needed.
3 People like him brave the vagaries of weather, snakes and wild animals, especially in remote areas, and filth on tracks to correct defects or to warn drivers of danger.
4 Now, there is finally some good news for the gangmen. They will soon get new gear — a raincoat, a winter jacket, a luminous vest, an ergonomically designed toolkit bag and pair of Bata shoes worth Rs 1,400. These would be in addition to existing dress allowance of Rs 5k a year.
5 The railways have decided to provide track-maintainers branded shoes. We recently contacted shoe manufacturers such as Bata, Action and Liberty and asked them to make special shoes suitable for walking on tracks,”
6 So how did the railway suddenly wake up to the needs of the gangmen? It all started as an informal suggestion by Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani on a railway Whatsapp group after he had walked with a trackman in Delhi on a cold January night.
7. Called Leaders of Indian Railways, the group had 35 users, including chairman, board members and general managers
In less than month, transformation cell — a railway cell created last year to work on new ideas and fast-track decisions — had prepared the nitty-gritty of plan.
In less than month, transformation cell — a railway cell created last year to work on new ideas and fast-track decisions — had prepared the nitty-gritty of plan.
8 While wearing orange vests will make gangmen more visible from a distance and during fog, the IR has also asked its zones to procure lighter tools to improve the mobility of those maintaining the tracks.
9.Vijay Kumar, a track-maintainer in Secunderabad, has already got new tools. He says these have made his life easier. fish bolt spanner that he uses now weighs only 1.4 kg, almost 900 g lower than earlier.Torch -like tricolour lamp to alert loco drivers weights 1/2 kilo only
10 The new staff — the rod used to place the tricolour lamp at an elevation — can be folded, making it easier to carry. Kumar, who originally belongs to Telangana’s Aler, has not been this excited about his gear in his 15 year career as a track walker.
11 These are all important & much needed as they work day& night to secure lives of crores travelling in Railways 
