Central Railway motormen, who had launched a silent protest on Friday, have officially called off their agitation following a written assurance from Railway officials. With this, local commuters can heave a sigh of relief as the agitation had thrown the suburban train services in disarray.

The refusal of the motormen to work additional hours, crucial to ensure smooth operation of Mumbai’s high-frequency suburban train system, led to the cancellation of nearly 150 services, including 88 trains during the peak evening period on Saturday.

On May 2, motormen had issued a letter to the Divisional Railway Manager under the aegis of the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS), announcing a silent protest titled "One Motorman, One Duty", wherein they pledged not to take any overtime duty starting Sunday. The protest was in response to mounting pressure due to the installation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Crew Voice and Video Recording System (CVVRS) in motorman cabs.

A meeting was convened on Sunday between union representatives and senior railway officials, including Divisional Railway Manager Neeraj Verma. During the meeting, motormen's long-standing concerns regarding SPAD penalties were addressed.

In a major breakthrough, railway officials provided a written assurance that no action would be taken against any motorman in pending SPAD cases until further notice from the Railway Board. Additionally, officials stated that a proposal had already been sent to the Board requesting a review of current SPAD-related rules and disciplinary actions.

Reiterating its commitment to the welfare and stress-free working of the crew, the Railway clarified that the ADAS and CVVRS systems would be used solely for constructive feedback and counselling, and not for punitive purposes.

Speaking to Newsband, Vivek Shishodiya, a senior leader of the CRMS, confirmed the withdrawal of the protest. “The protest has been called off after a meeting with railway officials. We were given a written assurance that no action will be taken against any motorman in connection with SPAD incidents.” he said.