Urgent Action Needed-IR has become a Municipal Service, Part-I

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In our detailed research on why #IndianRailways is so resistant to change we had stumbled on curse of Khan Market Gang (#KMG) and All India Delhi Service (#AIDS). However, we soon realised that there is an equivalent of #Deep_State in Indian Railways. #AIDS and #KMG are just manifestations of this #Deep_State.

Our research took us to:

Dec 31, 2024: “The Curse of Supporting Self-Seekers in Leadership Triad of Indian Railways”

Jan 2, 2025: “Railway gives heavy non-taxable incentive to higher officials”

Jan 13, 2025: “Kannauj collapse-One of Many that Wait to Happen”

We have clearly demonstrated that we have access to a significantly more robust pool of #advisors than #RailBhawan. Although several warnings we gave were finally heeded, the late action resulted in serious long-term damage.

Some examples where corrective action taken and where pain continues:

  • IR has become one #UPSC-recruited manned organisation which has put Non-UPSC-recruited officers at a distinct advantage.
  • We warned that #GatiShakti work should not be given to DRMs. Decision corrected. However, one begs to understand why #GSU not put under #CAO/Con? Why create more non-value adding administrative layers?
  • We warned against finishing off #Engineering Cadres. Decision corrected.
  • We have warned against creation of more #bureaucrats per route km-unfortunately with creation of more #Zones and #Divisions problem continues to grow. The political leadership has to be explained that Zonal and Divisional structures cannot be compared with States and Districts.
  • Why average speeds still below 20 kmph? This is going to be Indian Railways’ nemesis. Where would #RollingStock be stabled? When the speeds are so low, is this not fueling need of more rolling stock? Why speeds continue to be so low despite more powerful locomotives? Time is to evaluate priorities and invest in removal of choking points-essentially interchanges and yards. But when focus is on city specific postings, sundry activities like clubs and entertainment of spouses on GM inspections, how can officers be focused on what is needed?
  • Why #Passengers still carried like #cattle? The decision is getting corrected finally.
  • Why #toilets still a problem even in higher classes? This we had pointed out in past also. But why no action was taken. Problem of tracks has been shifted to coaches. It is wrong to blame passengers. Outcome centric #EnHM tenders has led to dirty trains, smelly toilets, no water in toilets. These are structural problems. Why money spent in past and now not getting compared. But question is who would compare? Who has credibility to do so?
  • Why #cleanliness poorer than in past despite more expenditure and dedicated vertical (EnHM).
  • Why more money spent on poor footfall stations while yards continue to be problematic? Stations of #NER and #ECR are classic cases of superfluous expenditure. Who will be accountable? If there was itch to spend-why not on yards? Why not on mobility? Clearly abysmally low average speeds of #Freight trains lays bare the reality-IR was trying to solve wrong problems. Or perhaps, political leadership was given wrong diagnosis so that deep state can continue to gallivant.
  • #SouthCoastRailways and new railways are going to create more #chungi nakas-who is advising Government of creation of more divisions and zones?
  • To reiterate-Why speeds still poor despite more number of powerful locos and more wagons.

Inability to achieve real targets on average speeds, increasing #corruption, widespread disillusionment among honest officers: Core issue boils down to lack of #rotation.

In fact as a recently retired officer pointed, “IR has become a municipal service, with officers spending practically entire career in just one city, and even if they go outside they retain their houses which becomes justification to go back”.

Why there is lack of administrative spine?

Railway’s top leadership which matters for #transformation is triad of DRM-GM and Members. These are hardly 100 officers at any given time. If political leadership is focused on just these 100 numbers, then Government of India can drive any transformation.

How can this be done?

We investigate in part-II

Readers may like to read again:

Dec 31, 2024: “The Curse of Supporting Self-Seekers in Leadership Triad of Indian Railways”

Jan 2, 2025: “Railway gives heavy non-taxable incentive to higher officials”

Jan 13, 2025: “Kannauj collapse-One of Many that Wait to Happen”