Kannur: The Railway Recruitment Board has announced 13,103 additional vacancies for the position of Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) in various zones across the country.

21 Railway recruitment boards, including Thiruvananthapuram, initially accepted applications for 5696 ALP vacancies. Now, the total count of vacancies has increased to 18,799. The railway board has also initiated the process of appointing ALPs in several zonal railways. 

This increase in vacancies is expected to help alleviate work pressure on drivers who are currently working overtime. Additionally, it aims to reduce train accidents caused by human error or due to loco pilots being sleep-deprived. 

According to a survey it was revealed that around 66% of train accidents are directly or indirectly due to human errors. A recent Bengal train crash where a goods train rammed into Kanchanjunga Express was also alleged to be a form of human error. 

Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of NF Railway's Katihar division, Surendra Kumar, said that the goods train driver, who died in the accident, was not following the speed restrictions imposed after the disruption of automatic signalling and train tracking systems owing to heavy rain and lightning. The accident claimed the lives of almost 10 people.