Engineer's(AME) House

...........A Healing centre to a Jail

Impact of transfer establishment order is not less than a bomb explosion in ones life. The very 1st question in my mind comes after my transfer was how & where to stay? The obvious answer was offcourse our AME House. A home away home, and Why should it not be? I had been to that house on many NR stations earlier too on our 15 days postings. 

On arrival at outstation into our AME house one cannot deny being nostalgic of that house. 

Many of these residences are being maintained before we joined our Airlines.

The concept of AME House at outstation introduced years back was the one idea which really deserves an appreciation.

This is the place where one can see a wonderful coordination amongst engineers. May be it is because whenever you are there your rest other colleges are virtually available in our register placed there & used to maintain our balance sheets.

In spite of many differences surfaced amongst us on various issues in past, AME house never appeared to be the matter of discussion or any controversies. 

Kitchen of our AME house exhibits a true regional color of India and reminds our olden college hostel days. Engineers from different part of our country, having theirs different taste make use of this kitchen. Its various types, size & shape of utensils suited as per their regional choice is a common scene in the kitchen. One can find a leftover (after departure of relieving engineer) mustered oil to sunflower, Peanuts to coconut oil and spices ranging from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, many variety of rice and pulses lying in many small jars..

Maintenance of our AME's houses is done individually by one who is on posting. This was of great help for those who transferred for one year. It was a place where we rest with right during our exile. It is the place which gives us shelters during our bad days of our professional life. 

The absences of AME House on few stations was real hardship to those who was posted on such locations. Though no company policy for our accommodation in line with the Air India Engineers whereby they get fully furnished lease accommodation, it is still a very costly affair to stay in our AME House.

Engineers on posting have to maintain his home alongside AME House at reduced HRA(15%) with a monthly net loss of Rs 12000/=pm.

Outstation posting allowances would have been a great help to us morally and financially in near future as it is there for Air India Engineers. Jet Airways, and Kingfisher make a handsome payments of Rs.25000/= to Rs.32000/=pm (as per grade) as outstation posting allowances. 

Earlier it was fun staying for 15 days there (after getting bore on 2/2/2 pattern) but now it is burden.

It was like recharging our battery getting exhausted for months on working in this pattern and then doing departures of one or two flights and then a complete rest.

AME House, once a HEALING CENTRE seems a JAIL now for 90 days.