RCF – Modus operandi of officers lobby

The principles of honesty (imandaari), integrity (pratishtha) and hardwork (parishram) that Railway Coach Factory (#RCF), Kapurthala ostensibly upholds, the reality behind the scenes is a disturbing narrative of #exploitation and #manipulation

The motto of RCF-Imaandari, Prathishta & Parishram is just a #tagline to show-off. #Mechanical Officers of RCF with full ‘Imaandari’ accept their undue and illicit share for which they do a lot of ‘Parishram’ to reject the #materials and this in turn increases their ‘Prathishtha’ amongst the #vendors. Maximum officials in mechanical department have outlived their tenure as per transfer policy, still the officers continue and #exploit the system.

This article aims to unearth the #modus_operandi of the #Mechanical lobby at #RCF, Kapurthala which exploits the #vendors to the maximum extent possible throwing all the rules to the wind and abuse administrative power entrusted to the officials by the people of India.

Whenever a Purchase Order (#PO) is issued to any firm, most of the times, a clause of #Prototype (Pilot sample), #FAI (First article inspection), #CCA (capacity and capability assessment) etc. is inserted in the PO which starts the first hand exploitation of the vendors at the hands of Chief Design Engineer (#CDE), #DyCME/Design and their cavalcade of #SSEs and #JEs.

A normal practice is that the yearly consumption of items in RCF is seen on the #IMMS system by the design officials and corresponding amount is calculated considering the last purchase rate (#LPR) and the prospective business that would be given to the #vendor is also calculated by design officials.

Hefty amount to the tune of 10-20% of the amount of business is demanded from the vendor for clearance of prototype by the CDE, DyCME/Design, SSE/design and other officials of design department of the RCF. Even if the Purchase officer does not include prototype clause in the purchase order, the mechanical lobby itself takes the item in the purview of design and realises hefty payments from the vendor.

Now after the approval of design, when the vendor gets purchase order for regular supplies, the exploitation of the vendor starts at the hands of Quality department wherein even if the item is pre-inspected, it is taken in #quality audit and various tests which are sometimes not even prescribed or required as per #MDTS or #specifications are done and every possible effort is made to reject the item till the message goes to #vendor for making hefty payments to the #CQM, #DyCQM, #ACMT and lab officials.

If the vendor agrees to the wishes of the quality officials, then the cost of expensive tests done by RCF is borne by RCF else by the vendor. Amount to the tune of 5-10% of the invoice is demanded by the quality officials. Sometimes amount even high as 20-30% is demanded by quality officials. Earlier a #CQM who was acting #CVO also in #RCF demanded amounts as high as 40-50%. Items are rejected at values of parameters at insignificant decimal places if the vendor does not agree as per terms of the quality officials.

Now after the item is clear from all angles of #Design and #Quality, it is taken into audit by #Vigilance department wherein the tests which have not been performed by design, quality are conducted at labs outside the RCF and reports are tampered as per the wishes of vigilance department by the outside labs for want of business and finally the #materials are rejected or accepted by vigilance department based on settlement with the vendor.

If the #vendor agrees to the wishes of the vigilance, the item is accepted else rejected. Unlike the earlier practice that there was only one #CQM who was acting #CVO, now both are different and both exploit the vendor to the maximum extent possible.

The present #CVO also exploits and targets women under his control to take advantage of his pleasures and satisfy his fantasies. CVO takes his cut from the CVI. The #CVI calls the firms in late nights at wee locations near RCF, Kapurthala and collects hefty money from the vendors in lieu of case settlement.

Sources have also told that the CVI has outlived his tenure but due to his proximity to CVO, he is continuing in vigilance. In order to protect the CVI, the present CVO/RCF is trying every possible effort to get him transferred to #NorthernRailway before he himself leaves RCF so that he is not man-hunted as done by their team at RCF, Kapurthala for pleasure.

Now after all the checks and audits by #Design, #Quality and #Vigilance, the materials are accounted and taken in books by the #store department wherein the #CDMS and #DMS of the depot exploit the vendor. It starts with DMS who gets the consignment unloaded to CDMS in receipt branch and then DMS in ward and the depot officers.

Now when the #materials go for #application in the #workshop area, the shop officials including #CWE, #DyCME/shop, #SSE, #JE etc. #blackmail the #vendor for making the #NCR (non-conformity report) which would repeat all the checks as done by quality already. The vendor has no option other than to accede to the undue demands of the workshop.

Now after the coach is ready for its final dispatch, the quality officials again #blackmail the #vendors for undue demands.

The #materials which are not used continuously for next 2-3 years are finally #scrapped by the officials of #RCF. The items are generally made up of #Stainless steel, Mild #steel, #Aluminium, #Copper etc. (mainly ferrous and non-ferrous materials). Now these items are sold in #scrap (at nominal prices) and the vendors situated in and around #Kapurthala buy these items and keep them in their workshops for future supplies.

It is pertinent to mention here that the items are bought in scrap at almost 10% value of the item when it is procured by RCF. The vendors tie-up with the planning department of the RCF (mainly CPLE, DyCPLE, SSE/Planning etc.) and #CPLE, #DyCPLE accept huge amounts as gratifications (almost 50% of the value of the item). The CPLE, DyCPLE etc. raise indents of the same items with minor alteration in specifications as already scrapped and same scrapped item is procured from the vendors in a new PL no. opened by Planning. The vendor in turn supplies the same scrapped item sold by RCF and the vicious circle goes on and on.

Over and above, the #GeneralManager, #RCF in consonance with his #Secretary makes #deals with #vendors for allotment of hefty tenders, settlement of various cases as per wishes and demands of vendors, making monopolies of vendors in particular items as per aid and advise of his Secretary. Makes visits to the premises of the firms for accepting gratifications and hefty gifts as per advise of the Secretary.

Harassing #vendors as per advise of #Quality, #Vigilance, Design who do not accede to the demands of their lobby. The #GMRCF never takes action against his #Mechanical officers even if they are at any fault. The #GMRCF sees the face of the officer, employee and then decides what action to take against him/her even if he/she is guilty or not.

GMRCF protects his juniors from mechanical department in the best possible capacity and therefore the officers from Mechanical Department missuse their administrative powers. Also the #GM has stressed a lot and is conducting meetings in regards to sale of inactive and surplus items due to pressure from the vendors of RCF, so that the above mentioned supplies could be made and profits booked as per connivance of #Planning department.

RPF does not allow entry of consignments without taking ₹500 per #consignment at the entry gate. Unaccounted #Scrap is sent out of RCF workshop gate in connivance with #RPF officials, scrap depot DMS and shop officials (IG, Dy. Commandant, Inspectors, ASIs and Constables, CDMS/scrap, SSE, JE). Scrap worth crores is sent out of RCF workshop after taking approx 20-30% cut by the RPF officials.

Recently a theft of item was diagnosed wherein RPF and scrap depot officials were involved, but action was initiated on a class-4 employee and presently no delivery is being made to vendors even after successful auction. Vigilance of RCF is demanding hefty gratification from the scrap vendors to start the delivery. As per source information, it’s been more than 50 days that the auction amount has been deposited by the scrap vendors. But no delivery is being made, due to vested interests of CVO, DyCVO and CVI.

Finally to conclude the motto of #RCF_imaandari, #Prathishtha and #Parishram is just a #tagline to show-off. Mechanical Officers of RCF with full #Imaandari accept their undue and illicit share for which they do a lot of #Parishram to #reject the #materials and this in turn increases their #Prathishtha amongst the #vendors. Maximum officials in mechanical department have outlived their tenure as per #transfer policy, still the officers continue and exploit the system.

In stark contrast to the #principles of #honesty (imandaari), #integrity (Prathishtha), and #hardwork (parishram) that RCF ostensibly upholds, the reality behind the scenes is a disturbing narrative of #exploitation and #manipulation. The mechanical officers’ lobby has mastered the art of extracting unjust gains through a #labyrinthine scheme that spans various departments. From inception to execution, their practices leave no facet untouched, as they extract illegal gratifications from hapless vendors, tarnishing the very core of ethical conduct.

The conclusions drawn are disheartening, revealing an intricate #nexus that thwarts the principles of #transparency & #fairness. As this expose comes to light, it becomes evident that the facade of values portrayed by RCF is a mere charade, overshadowed by the pervasive #influence of the mechanical officers’ lobby. Urgent #reform is necessary to cleanse the system, restore the faith of the public, and ensure that the genuine values of integrity and hard work guide the operations of RCF, Kapurthala, rather than being exploited for personal gain.

Sincere request to the Hon’ble Minister for Railways and #CRB to kindly look into the matter and take apt steps as soon as possible.