Great step, if successful can help IR a lot to come out of financial mess.
Many more jobs can be done/eliminated with technology, there by reducing the staff costs and improving the competitiveness of IR.
Multi tasking is the need of the hour for IR, which is being/has been successfully implemented in many pvt sector as well as public sector enterprises.
For example...
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there can be one technician on the train who can look after ac/ fan/ lighting etc in addition to commercial jobs ticket checking. Else ac mechanic usually attends to in case of problem and remains idle for most of the time.
After paying handsome salary/pension, if IR is unable to extract adequate work out of its employees, the staff cost is bound to reach unmanageably high levels, as is the case today.
Review & rationalisation of work practices with proper training/motivation of employees can work wonders for IR in long run.