Editorial: A Crisis A Day – Loss of Direction & Perhaps Sense

Technically called train parting, this mode of failure has become very common in the last few years. Experts lay the blame on weakened Railway Design and Standard Organisation (RDSO), irrational pressure to create new #vendors, much weakened engineering administration and management, and excessive dependence on vendors.

***This is happening in Indian Railways***

It is also true that #RDSO and #RailwayBoard became havens of #monopoly essentially because of a few officers who created a #corrupt-nexus of #Technical and #Vigilance officers. The problem has always been the selection of good leaders—a lacunae which gets exposed every hour today on #IndianRailways (IR) due to the massive level of asset failures.

Trains are derailing, trains are parting, trains are stinking, trains are overcrowding, trains are cancelling, trains are rescheduling, trains are diverting—signals are coming green and double yellow at the same time—no one knows how to operate the signal panels anymore.

IR’s Leadership Conundrum-Biggest Failure of Government

The top 100 positions of IR—DRM, GMs (Level-16), Members (Level-17) can easily be bracketed into either fun-seeking suckers or passive yes(wo)men. The #failure to protect and promote #honest, #upright, and #competent individuals has been the biggest failure of the #government since 2014. Institutional corruption (संस्थागत भ्रष्टाचार) bred through policies like #house-retention gives unethical and illegal advantage of untaxed crores of perks to squatters.

Our extensive exposure of #corrupt-vigilance-trimurti, officers who run flourishing business with IR, Khan Market Gang (#KMG), PHODs and GMs bending before supervisors and junior officers, #Policy-corruption has put before Railway Minister and Board all the reasons why IR, despite massive investments is pale shadow of itself. It is squarely a crisis of leadership.

Failure to Promote, Post & Protect the Right Ones

Officers are more liked and licked for their extra curricular activities. Dancing Bosses need their egos massaged and wives well fed and gifted. One needs to go any railway club evening when bosses arrive or any inspection. Obnoxious #dance and #drama of #sycophancy will nauseate an outsider.

When divisions get more busy in planning dances, cultural programs and walkathons, rallies, flag offs, sports activities etc. when would the working level get mental space to plan and execute? One cultural evening for boss—divisional or zonal—is straight loss of a fortnight of working.

Inaugurations & Inaugurations-Misplaced Beliefs

“One inauguration can cause a hit of almost one month of attention to assets”. Today entire IR network is busy in next round of Amrit Bharat Stations inauguration. Who will tell the bosses that people would be more than happy to reach safely and timely their destinations, people would be happiest when they get confirmed seat/berth—they would vote hands down if they just get convenient train connectivity, small #MEMUs can take care of all #rural populations which feels left out in clamour of Vande Bharats.

It is shocking that creation of #Zones and #Divisions is seen as public aspiration? It is few #railwaymen who have created this narrative. #Mindless-reduction of zonal and divisional boundaries has in effect reduced operating speeds by creating more barriers.

If IR runs more cost efficient trains that connects hinterland, cost of living would come down, increase market access to farmers. Massive mindless investment in #AmritBharat Railway Stations (#ABSS) should be substituted by investment in shorter-smarter MEMUs and rail lines. Take a leaf from Japan, how even for very small communities, train access is given by a railway network which is corporatised.

#Railwhispers is committed to be a platform for the #whistleblowers who are our true inspiration.