In the Indian Railways operational setup, running staff — comprising Loco Pilots (Mail/Express, Passenger, Goods, and Shunting), Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs), and Train Managers (Guards) — earn a predominant portion of their monthly earnings through actual wheel-turning Kilometre Allowance (KMA). However, operational necessities frequently require the railway administration to detach these highly specialized running staff from train footplate duties to perform essential stationary, administrative, medical, or legal tasks. To ensure that running staff do not suffer punitive wage cuts when detached from the footplate, the Railway Board codified Allowance in Lieu of Kilometrage (ALK) under Rule 25 of the Rules for the Payment of Running and Other Allowances to Running Staff.
1. Statutory Rule 25 Fixed Kilometre Credit Formula
Unlike regular running duties where earnings are calculated from actual kilometres logged in the driver's memo book, Rule 25 of the Running Allowance Rules establishes a uniform statutory credit of 160 kilometres per calendar day for running staff deployed on authorized non-running duties:
Statutory Daily ALK Payout Formula:
Daily ALK Payout = 160 KM × [Notified KMA Rate per 100 KM / 100] = 1.60 × KMA Rate
ALK is paid in addition to the employee's regular monthly basic pay and Dearness Allowance. It directly replaces the variable running kilometrage the staff would have otherwise earned had they been piloting a train on the line.
2. Official 7th CPC Notified KMA & ALK Daily Rates (RBE No. 85/2019)
Following the acceptance of the 7th CPC recommendations on running allowances under Railway Board Order RBE No. 85/2019, the notified Kilometre Allowance rates and resultant daily ALK entitlements are structured as follows:
| Running Post & Designation | 7th CPC Level | Notified KMA Rate | Daily ALK (160 KM) | 6-Day Course ALK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loco Pilot (Mail / Express) | Level 6 | ₹530 / 100 km | ₹848.00 / day | ₹5,088.00 |
| Loco Pilot (Passenger / Motorman) | Level 6 | ₹525 / 100 km | ₹840.00 / day | ₹5,040.00 |
| Loco Pilot (Goods) | Level 6 | ₹520 / 100 km | ₹832.00 / day | ₹4,992.00 |
| Loco Pilot (Shunting) | Level 4 | ₹396 / 100 km | ₹633.60 / day | ₹3,801.60 |
| Senior Assistant Loco Pilot (Sr. ALP) | Level 4 | ₹376 / 100 km | ₹601.60 / day | ₹3,609.60 |
| Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) | Level 2 | ₹350 / 100 km | ₹560.00 / day | ₹3,360.00 |
| Train Manager / Guard (Mail / Express) | Level 6 | ₹520 / 100 km | ₹832.00 / day | ₹4,992.00 |
| Train Manager / Guard (Passenger) | Level 5 | ₹515 / 100 km | ₹824.00 / day | ₹4,944.00 |
| Train Manager / Guard (Goods) | Level 5 | ₹510 / 100 km | ₹816.00 / day | ₹4,896.00 |
3. Permitted Duties Eligible for ALK Sanction
Under Rule 25, running staff are legally entitled to 160 km daily ALK when deputed for any of the following non-running assignments:
- Mandatory Refresher Courses: Periodic safety, signalling, air-brake, locomotive electronics, and simulator training at Zonal Railway Training Institutes (ZRTI).
- Periodic Medical Examination (PME): Days spent travelling to and attending mandatory periodic medical fitness boards, vision tests, and recertification exams.
- Attending Official Inquiries: Attending accident inquiries, departmental fact-finding probes, and safety depositions before the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS).
- Court Lawsuits & Legal Evidence: Deputing as a railway witness before judicial magistrate courts or civil tribunals in rail accident cases.
- Union Meetings: Recognized trade union representatives attending Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) meetings or formal Permanent Negotiating Machinery (PNM) conferences.
4. Worked Example: Goods Loco Pilot Attending PME
A Loco Pilot (Goods) with a notified KMA rate of ₹520 / 100 km is spared from footplate running duty for 5 calendar days to undergo Periodic Medical Examination (PME) at a divisional railway hospital:
- Duty Days: 5 Calendar Days
- Statutory Daily ALK Credit: 160 Kilometres
- Total Credited Mileage: \times 160 = \mathbf{800\text{ KM}}$
- Applicable Rate: ₹5.20 per kilometre (₹520 / 100 km)
- Total ALK Allowance Payable: \times \text{\₹5.20} = \mathbf{\text{\₹4,160.00}}$
- Salary Voucher Treatment: Added directly under the "ALK" allowance code in the monthly IPAS salary slip alongside full normal basic pay and Dearness Allowance.
5. Comprehensive Comparative Audit: KMA vs. ALK vs. Overtime (OT)
To eliminate accounting confusion among railway accounts inspection personnel, the three primary operating allowances for running staff serve mutually distinct statutory purposes:
- Kilometre Allowance (KMA): Paid strictly for active wheel-turning locomotion based on actual road distance logged in the driver's journey register.
- Allowance in Lieu of Kilometrage (ALK): Paid at a fixed statutory credit of 160 km per day when staff are temporarily spared from footplate driving to execute mandatory stationary, educational, or statutory obligations.
- Overtime Allowance (OTA): Paid under HOER when aggregate rostered working hours in a statutory two-weekly wage period exceed 104 hours, calculated at double the standard single hourly rate.
6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is ALK payable when running staff are placed on casual leave or earned leave?
A: No. When running staff avail casual leave, earned leave, or sick leave, they receive Leave Salary which includes a 30% running pay element added to basic pay, rather than ALK.
Q2: Is Dearness Allowance (DA) calculated on ALK earnings?
A: No. The KMA and ALK rates notified under 7th CPC (RBE No. 85/2019) are composite, consolidated kilometre rates. Dearness Allowance is not paid on ALK.