Why did Mumbai’s train guards go on a ‘work-to-rule’ strike and delay your evening commute?
A new railway circular asked guards to do more. They said enough is enough. Here's what happened and what it means for your daily train ride.
Railway officials say the circular is about safety, not about burdening guards. (Express photo by Deepak Joshi) If your evening commute on Central Railway was disrupted on Wednesday, here’s why.
Between 5.15 pm and 5.45 pm, train managers, commonly known as guards, staged a ‘work-to-rule’ strike at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Three pairs of suburban services between CSMT and Kalyan were cancelled. Several others were delayed. Platforms got crowded during rush hour. Normal services resumed after railway authorities sat down with guard representatives. The trigger was a single circular issued eight days ago.
Q: What is the circular and what does it say?
On May 7, Central Railway’s Principal Chief Operations Manager issued Correction Slip 15, introducing revised rules for how guards and motormen communicate while a train is moving.
Under the new protocol, as a train approaches the next station, the guard must send an advance bell signal to the motorman, giving him time to anticipate the stop and begin braking. If the motorman doesn’t respond and the train comes in too fast, the guard must apply the brakes himself.
The reasoning is straightforward. In April, a Badlapur-bound fast local overshot the platform at Vikhroli. In March, an AC local to Kalyan stopped two coaches past the designated halt point at Bhandup. No one was hurt in either case, but both incidents triggered internal safety reviews. The new circular is Central Railway’s response.
Platforms got crowded during rush hour. Normal services resumed after railway authorities sat down with guard representatives. (Express photo by Deepak Joshi)
Q: What does a guard actually do?
Most commuters think of the guard as the person waving a flag at the rear of the train. The job is considerably more involved than that. Guards are stationed in the last coach and are responsible for signalling the all-clear for departure once passengers have boarded safely. They communicate with the motorman through a system of bell codes: two bells means ready to go, one bell means stop immediately.
During the journey, guards monitor the train for anything unusual, from strange sounds to brake binding, and flag it to the motorman. They can apply emergency brakes if the train approaches a station above 40 kmph. They also ensure that the public address system, flasher lights and tail lamps are all working.
The motorman, at the front, drives the train and is guided by trackside markers like EMU halt boards to stop at the right spot.
Q: Why are guards unhappy?
Guard associations say the new circular adds to a workload that is already physically demanding. A guard’s eight-hour shift covers entire round trips, often without breaks, requiring constant attention throughout. In summer, with temperatures inside coaches climbing, the conditions are particularly punishing.
“The job already demands constant attention throughout the journey. Adding more responsibilities without addressing existing concerns is unfair,” said a guard, who did not want to be named.
Guards also pointed out that Western Railway already follows a similar advance-signal practice, and trains have still overshot platforms there. So the measure, they argue, isn’t a guaranteed fix.
Q: What is Central Railway saying?
Railway officials say the circular is about safety, not about burdening guards. “Guards are familiar with their routes and can gauge distances between stations. The advance signal is a preventive step that adds an extra layer of safety,” a senior official said.
A meeting between CR and representatives of the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh has been scheduled for May 18 to work through the concerns.
Central Railway has also recently rolled out a GPS-based Signal Location Announcement System, called SILAS, on suburban trains. It alerts motormen 350 metres and 250 metres before an upcoming signal, reducing the chance of human error. It also tells the motorman the next halt based on the route selected by the guard, adding another layer of coordination between the two.
The strike lasted less than 30 minutes. The underlying disagreement will take longer to resolve.
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