A unique status of Railways and performance aspect

Expecting officers to work with more sincerity and zeal – seeing nobody to look after their promotions and benefits – shall definitely be a dream

On date out of the total sanctioned Board Members posts, on Railways, only one regular member – Traffic – is on his post. There are two more CRB and FC – first is 6 months extention after June while second is already in extension up to June, 2022. The balance Two posts are lying vacant.

There are two posts of DGs – HR and Safety, these posts are equal to Member grade. HR is lying vacant for more than one year, whereas the other post is also vacant, as the person concerned has taken VR, as was deprived of his legtimate due for no reasons.

The situation in HR, which is responsible for looking into welfare, promotions of officers and staff, is peculier. Because apart from DGHR post, only two other AM posts – HR and Staff are also lying vacant.

Now the other vital post to run the Railway Board – Secretary, Railway Board – is also lying vacant for years, and has not been filled with a eligible person for more than  6-7 years.

Another important post of AM Vigilance too is vacant.

Out of the total posts of General Manager – 28 Nos. as many as 12 posts are vacant. Similarly, out of 30 posts of AMs as many as 8 are not filled.

If all the vacancies are counted caused by Deputation, leave, study leave, working on ex-cadre posts etc, then there are more than 25% of Group ‘A’ posts which are lying vacant.

There is no recruitment in Group ‘A’ cadre for the last 2-3 years, and also DPCs of Group ‘B’ officers for induction in Group ‘A’ are overdue for more than 5 years (except in 1-2 departments).

A large number of officers are waiting for their due promotions to SAG, NF-SAG or in SG or JAG.

The situation in Miscellaneous Cadre post of officers like PROs, Rajbhasha Adhikary, is still worse than normal officers.

It is better not to speak about Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ staff, which is also most unsatisfactory.

You will be surprised to know that there is a cadre in Miscellaneous cadre – Principals/Head Masters of railway schools, where no DPC for their induction, has been conducted since 1975.

Despite large scale vacancies in officers cadre, system of paying Dual charge is not being adhered too.

Even a large number of officers are waiting for their posting promotion as DRM or ADRM, but no solution is in sight.

Expecting officers to work with more sincerity and zeal – seeing nobody to look after their promotions and benefits – shall definitely be a dream.

In Store department, there is no Member, GM or AM level officer today.

What is more surprising is that after a long battle of years, cadre restructuring committee, finds full justification for 10 Members board and letter is issued in March 2019. But after only two months the number is reduced to 5, under the garb of IRMS, or other.

This is Indian Railways, the biggest organisation in India and perhaps in world too but who cares!

All the above so called unique status explained by a veteran who not only has all the records and position of each and every post of railway officers (Group ‘A’ & ‘B’), DPCs, Promotions but it is published by him every year for the benefit of railway administration.

Looking at the above pathetic condition of railway administration, anyone can say if these posts are not required or if Railway administration is not in a position to fill up the same, then they must be crapped.