Railway Loco Pilot Penalized for In-Transit Phone Use During Station Halt

The South East Central Railway has penalized a freight train loco pilot, Pawan Gupta, for using a mobile phone during a halt. Gupta, who claimed he was checking on his ill wife, faced a six-year suspension of travel benefits, following a check of train recording systems that found him at fault.

The South East Central Railway has revoked the travel privileges of a freight train loco pilot for six years. Pawan Gupta reportedly used a mobile phone during duty hours to check on his ailing wife. Despite his claims that no social media was used, strict railway guidelines prohibit phone usage during working hours.

The incident emerged on February 9, 2025, during a routine inspection of the Crew Voice and Video Recording System. This review, conducted on a goods train engine between New Katni Junction and Shahdol Railway Station, identified Gupta's mobile phone activity during a two-hour halt at Badhawabra station in Madhya Pradesh.

On March 26, 2025, Gupta was issued a minor penalty chargesheet. His justification, citing concern for his wife's health, did not convince the authorities. Consequently, Gupta's travel privileges, including privilege passes and ticket orders, will be suspended from 2026 to 2031.

(With inputs from agencies.)