Question is that of Credibility Mr Rail-Minister-Please don’t Jump the Gun!
The accident in Balasore has caused a setback to Indian Railway’s international image by two to three decades!
Who would consider buying our Vande Bharat trains and Kawach safety systems?
What a shame this leadership of Railway Minister and Board Members have brought to the nation and the BJP government!
Without a definite enquiry report by CRS, why has the matter been referred to CBI?
The Minister attributing the cause of the accident from the accident site sets dangerous precedence!
Similar loose comments were said during the Malda accident when a traction motor fell on the track!
Different standards, vitiation of statutory process further strengthens the call for the Minister to step aside!
It has been reported by the media that the Railway Board, without waiting for CRS enquiry report has referred investigation of unfortunate #BalasoreTrainTragedy to CBI. Whereas, the case of two officers doing business on #IREPS and from properties declared on their AIPR, where incontrovertible documentary evidence has been published by #Railwhispers has been set aside. Even the argument that criminal angle needs early investigation does not hold water as the entire track has been relaid and all signaling circuits rewired by the time CBI will reach the accident site.
कृपया यहाँ एक बार पुनः रेल सेवा में रहते रेल के साथ आर. पी. भारती एवं गणेश द्वारा किए जा रहे दुराचारपूर्ण आचरण का संज्ञान लें!
“अधिकारी-वेंडर-नेक्सस का नया स्वरूप-अधिकारी स्वयं बना वेंडर! भाग-2“
“अधिकारी-वेंडर-नेक्सस का नया स्वरूप-अधिकारी स्वयं बना वेंडर, भाग-3“
The Minister attributing the cause of the accident from the accident site sets dangerous precedence. This puts pressure and directs the line of enquiry on Commissioner of Railway Safety (#CRS) and undermines credibility of primary enquiry which is being done in accordance with Railway Act. Similar loose comments were said during Malda accident when a traction motor fell on the track leading to derailment in January 2022.
A major train mishap killed about 300 and injured over a thousand just as over 300 officers, who stayed in Le Meridien, ended their conference having generated so-called ideas for improvement in Railways. Similar accident had occurred during a Chintan Shivir in 2016, when Suresh Prabhu was the Railway Minister.
For two months almost the entire April and May 2023, all General Managers and their hundreds of PHODs and thousands of other officers have been racking their brains in polishing their respective PowerPoint Presentations for the Chintan Shivir.
The entire top and middle management was distracted on generating new ideas while the established idea of “Safety First” was given a go by. Nearly one crore rupees was spent on travel, stay and dinners of officers, who spent lavish time in the five star hotel, Le Meridian of New Delhi.
One wonders what happens to such new ideas, when there are enough action plans made by wiser people to work upon. Some of these include the GR&SR, PWay Manual, Signal Manual, Station Working Rules, Coach Maintenance Manual and many more. Rather than working on mundane and boring first principles and basics of train operations, the Railway Minister indulges in flashy and romantic ideas of modernisation and spit and polish, none of which has actually worked so far. The order on TMH Russia is being sabotaged, Station Development has been a non-starter, rules are being bent to accommodate favourite contractors and senior officers are superseded in hundreds to appoint selected few. Except Punctuality and Punctual Train Operation, which is the main job of Railways, everything is happening in Railways which is not in the essential category!
Killing of 300 persons in a matter of half a minute cannot be pardoned. It is not just a case of the unfortunate death of these three hundred innocent people or train passengers, but also the untimely death of their families along with them! Merely giving compensation does not make up for the death of someone and the maintenance of their families! Such numbers of deaths are seen on a battlefront that took over a span of days and weeks. No amount of sidestepping hard questions, blaming saboteurs and opposition will work this time.
Recently, the Taiwan’s Transport Minister had resigned after a train crash that killed 50 persons in April, 2021 – “Taiwan’s transport minister offers resignation“. More recently the Greek Railway Minister resigned after a train crash killed 40 in March this year – “Minister resigns after crash“. Closer home resignation by Lal Bahadur Shastri, Nitish Kumar and Suresh Prabhu is well known as examples of morality and probity.
But, not this time. In spite of all the modernisation in the last decade or two, better tracks, modern signalling, LHB coaches and instant communication, the Indian Railway has butchered 300 innocent people and maimed and injured 1000 more. Yet the Railway Minister shows no remorse. He is out to whitewash his sins by photo ops in the wreckage and among dead bodies that he caused under his leadership in the first place.
The accident in Balasore has caused a setback to Indian Railway’s international image by two to three decades. Who would consider buying our Vande Bharat trains and Kawach safety systems? What a shame this leadership of Railway Minister and Board Members has brought to the nation and the BJP government! Do. It is forgotten that the CRB and all the Board Members, including the DG/Safety were appointed after bypassing a hundred deserving ones.
Most of the General Managers too are favourites of the Minister and have superseded two to three batches. The Railway Minister is an ex IAS officer and was celebrated as a bright young mind in politics, who has let down the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi in one evening.
What has this merit hunt given us? 300 dead and 1000 injured. Shame!
While Rail Bhawan drags its feet on matters where two officers have been found with their hand in the till, without definite enquiry report by CRS, matter has been referred to CBI. There seems to be a different standard when #Advisor is involved.
Different standards, vitiation of statutory process further strengthens the call for the Minister to step aside.
#Compiled by: Suresh Tripathi