5 Days – 8 Derailments: IR’s Darkest Phase
#CRB called an emergency meeting on Thursday, 3rd April, having on his side full Board, assortment of Additional Members, truckload of #Safety officers of #RailwayBoard who have distinguished themselves by being #safely stuck in New Delhi since they were inducted in #IndianRailways.
On the other side-all Zonal HQ-GMs, PHODs and all DRMs and practically all Branch Officers (BOs).
One estimate puts the number at around 400-500, who got connected to the VC.
#Agenda: “FY 2024-25 ended with #derailments and FY 2025-26 began with loud thud of derailments-eight derailments in as many as five days-this high intensity of derailments is one of the highest in recent memory”, experts say.
What followed after the meeting practically brought #Whatsapp and #Google in South Asia down with millions of messages, videos, google sheet entries flooding. Thankfully, it was soon concluded within one hours and eighteen minutes that all is well on Indian Railways.
So it was time to go back.
Assistant Civil Engineering officers (#ADENs) to General Managers promptly putting their focus on important matters like Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (#ABSS) inauguration planning, for the rest-well there is a weekend ahead-clubs, inaugurations, flag offs, walkathons, rallies, famed parties of railway officers in their resort like residences-ooph, hardly any time!
Time for #DRMs and #GMs to hit the dance floor! Gratefully sparing rest of the country of Google and Whatsapp meltdown!
Naivety of CRB
What messages on Whatsapp revealed, #CRB expressed surprise that officers are routinely condoning short cuts. AM/Signal was also heard scolding a #SrDOM of #ECoR which saw #accident at #Vizianagaram – “Nagavali Express coach derails at Vizianagaram-no casualties reported”.
See:
Read: “1 dead, 7 injured as Bangalore-Kamakhya express train derails near Cuttack”
What amazed one was how surprised #CRB was!
“ऐसा भी होता है“ was his refrain..
Sir ji, “ऐसा ही होता है”, amused junior officers said across India.
What amused one was the indignation heaped by AM/Signal on SrDOM/Vishakhapattanam. #Madam ji, you got Level-16 after more than three decades of service, how can you be so surprised? That actually surprised many.
Questions to Ask-Action to be Taken
Chairman sahab, ask what is engaging attention of ADENs? What is focus of SrDENs? What is focus of DRMs? You have just concluded nth drive on points and crossings, and there was yet another derailment in #NERailway on 5th April on a point.
While #manipulators are being rewarded by railway leadership, what is level of #motivation left for hardworking railway men? Why should their sweat facilitate the lavish decadent life styles of head quarter officers and manipulators?
With record number of accidents happening (one happened in NER on 5 April) spread all over the railways, what can be the common thread?
This brings us to our Ask #4.
Mar 31, 2025: “The Ask #4: Can the Compromised Lead?”
Digging deeper in to the reasons of inexplicable decisions, our modus operandi is to look at the antecedents and ambitions of officers taking decisions.
Every one has understood-just drop names and bosses will fall in line. Who knows when friendly nudge from that powerful politician can lubricate boss’ journey up the ladder?
What caused Vizianagaram Accident? Could Kavach Prevent it?
It appears while train was negotiating a point, station master operated point leading to last two coaches derail. It was providential that train was moving slowly-being run on #ICF coaches, derailment at a higher speed would have soon hit international headlines while parliament was in seesion.
Promptly, two #technicians, one Junior Engineer (#JE) and one Senior Section Engineer (#SSE) were suspended from #signal department. All bottom of the ladder officials-they sat not in Divisional or Zonal HQ. Their crime?
Experts further reveal, #interlocking can be bypassed by Signal & Telecom officials at circuit level, as it happened in #Balasore or through station master’s panel as it happened in #Vizianagaram.
These reasons are very well known, that is why so many officers get posted—just to ensure that procedures are followed.
But clearly, they are not. So what are officers at divisions, head quarters and Railway Board doing? Clearly, they are not doing their job.
So who watches officers? Senior officers!
We have already pointed out that it has been biggest failure of #Minister not to look at the pivot of change-top 100 leadership positions. We even gave algorithm to tackle the problem.
Feb 15, 2025: “Urgent Action Needed-IR has become a Municipal Service, Part-II”
Further, the probing questions were given to assist government to corner #KMG in Feb 3, 2025: “Urgent Action Needed-IR has become a Municipal Service, Part-I”.
By the way, could famous #Kavach prevent Vizianagaram type of accident? NO !
March 12, 2025: “The Ask : Part-I”
PM sir, thank Baba Viswanath, that train’s speed was less. Otherwise this ICF rake would have given you an embarrassment while Parliament was in session.
So what caused Bengaluru-Kamakhya Express Derailment? Could Kavach have Prevented it?
This, experts say points to track fastening failure. One can see that the rail got pushed and turned on its side. This accident killed one passenger while grievously injuring more.
And yes, Kavach could NOT have prevented this.
Failure #1: Continuous Rewarding of Senior Officers Responsible while punishing Juniors
It is responsibility of senior gazetted officers to bear responsibility of ensuring compliance to procedures. What can bottom of the rung officials do without approving eye of seniors? How can GM, DRMs, PHODs be oblivious to the fact that red signal can be made green, points set differently from signal path by changing connections or simply overriding interlocking by turn of a key and this entire authority is at lower level? Then why on earth are officers in Divisions, Zonal HQs and Railway Board sitting?
Why this amnesia? The amnesia is caused by compromised leadership who can sell their body and soul to just be in one city as we discussed in: “The Ask #4: Can the Compromised Lead?”.
Responsible #1
#Political leadership for making railways run on part time ministers, contractual Chairmen and members.
August 28, 2024: “पार्ट-टाइम मंत्री, ठेके पर चेयरमैन!”
Responsible #2
#IRMS Level-17 at Railway Board who have reduced #IndianRailways as a #Municipal-Service. They have ensured that Level-15 remain welded to one city.
For ensuring #corrupt and outright #unethical policies of #residence-retention.
For ensuring officers after #DRM-ship come to previous station of posting-#corrupting and corroding the bottom of leadership triad—connect the fact that DRM-GM-Members constitute leadership pyramid of Indian Railways.
Responsible #3
#GeneralManagers who fail to #rotate-even when they know close to field position. They fail even to check tenures of junior officers which under their connivance span decades. This cannot be put on ignorance anymore, #blindness of this level at this level is plain corrupt connivance.
Responsible #4
#PHODs who believe it is their divine right to run their department as personal fiefdoms. They do not hesitate to act with impunity to kill basic idea of #rotation as they themselves are beneficiaries.
Responsible #5
DRMs who from day one believe that they got their two year tenure to enjoy.
Responsible #6
Railway’s #WWO. Officers believe that this should be #1 in responsibility!
Mantri ji-Were You not Alerted?
#Mantri ji keep defending while these officers erode your immense goodwill and political future. It is your choice. We have fixed the responsibility on above 6, now your turn!
At least we do not carry the weight of not having done our bit. In our many meetings you were given ideas, suggestions, proofs of corruption and manipulation. You agreed too, but.. आप अपनी देखें!