Sir, Engine has Siezed!

Admin

This is second time when CRB’s #Safety-VC has seen an #accident on same day. First one was when there was deadly #stampede on #NewDelhi Railway Station. Second happened in #Sahibganj.

Stampede Seen—New Delhi Railway Station

17 Feb 25: “Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station-The new system has failed multiple times”

This was followed by massive #derailment on 03 July on a day when #CRB convened several hundreds of his senior officers on monthly safety meeting.

Caption: Roll down and subsequent derailment of ballast train in Eastern Railway

Like always, this accident has also been greeted with yet another drive-drive to do checks on stabled loads. Why #RailBhawan does not understand that repeated failure to do routine things is symptomatic of something more serious.

Railway drivers are making mistakes in #Mumbai Suburban, they are making mistake on #DFCCIL, they are making mistake on #IndianRailway’s mainline network. #Pointsmen are making mistake, #Station Masters are making mistake. Mistakes are being made on most basic issues-what happened in Malda Division of #EasternRailway is not a judgement call that went wrong. This was plain indiscipline.

Can #CRB solve it by asking direct questions to #DRMs? Can #RailwayBoard solve it by launching drives?

Barking up the wrong tree

One major problem with railways is everything has become priority no. 1. So while load stabling drive is a priority so is drive on push trolleys, launched in response to #trolley dashing in #ECRailway.

While these two drives are on, CRB will review all station development works. Fully aware that Station Development has become a big #scam, this is mere attempt to pass the buck. CRB and MR have to decide where should their frontline officers focus when no #System seems to be working in a manner that gives confidence.

#StationDevelopment should be looked after by #Construction Organisation and not by #Openline. Make station and give the station to the #Divisions and let divisions operate them. When such basic work procedures are failing, need is to bring back the focus sans any distraction like arranging crowds for inaugurations or making videos for social media feeds. This modus operandi is actually making Ministry of Railways a laughing stock.

Let #Division bring its focus on #Safety and punctuality. Period.

Back to Basics

Problem is not managerial.

Problem is #leadership-problem is now structural, not institutional. Institutions of Member-GM-DRM is well tested to deliver.

IndianRailways has become more fragmented while becoming ever more top heavy. Entire IR is over seen by more than double General Managers and PHODs than in past and almost three times more HODs. More railway zones have become state specific-#ECR, #SCR, #ECoR, #SECR, #SCoR for example. Add to this abject failure to #rotate officers-now officers, more so Group ‘B’ officers (except for #RPF and #Accounts) are spending major part of their career in one city.

With record investments, lack of #rotation makes it heady cocktail. Though IR has been spared of terror by unaccounted #vigilance-exemplified by the notorious #trimurti, lack of rotation and match box sized zonal railways, excessive number of Level-15 and 16 officers is killing the system literally.

Quality of decision making is as stinky as IR’s bio toilets. Safety meetings and drives are now laughable. DRMs change, GMs change as do Members and CRB—still the sum and substance of these CRB level meetings on safety do not fail to be spectacles where CRBs try to rid themselves of irresistible itch to show off how knowledgeable they are.

All this while they forget what their true work is. How to do strategic planning, how to have meta level understanding of the sector. Can CRB summon courage to tell the Hon’ble Prime Minister what real problems of IR are?

#CRB sir, engine of Indian Railways has not just stalled, it has seized. You know better what we mean..

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