How Can Leaders with Broken Morale Deliver Safety?

अटल जी ने कहा था “टूटे मन से कैसे कोई खड़ा होगा?”

Minister sahab took a review of the #railway-safety on Saturday, 25 November, 2023 and obvious platitudes were served yet again.

“Any lapse in respect of safety in operations is not acceptable in any way -Ashwini Vaishnaw”

“Railway Safety – What is Needed?”

We got flooded with #feedback from several senior serving and retired officers including retired members and general managers. Following is what we received as a flood of feedback – this is true feedback #Mantriji and #Madam-CRB:

The prevailing #leadership within the #Railways has orchestrated a systematic #erosion of the organization’s #integrity to an irreparable extent. The proposed #promotion to the Level-17 position of an incompetent, inexperienced #IRTS officer is a source of concern, particularly considering her prior determination as #unfit for Lower Level L-16 posts in #IRMS. Despite undergoing #scrutiny in two successive reviews a few months ago, which indicated an #unsatisfactory-evaluation for lower-level L-16 positions, she was unexpectedly deemed #suitable for a higher-level position. This #decision, bereft of explicable rationale, not only contradicts the #principles of ordinary prudence but also defies logical and rational judgment.

https://twitter.com/railwhispers/status/1729118755526221961?s=46

This #trend of #capricious and #arbitrary decisions extends beyond individual instances, contributing to a noteworthy decline in Railway operations. The morale of the remaining Principal Heads of Departments (#PHODs) from the 86 and 87 batches has plummeted to an unprecedented low due to the perceived lack of motivation stemming from the inevitability of their career stagnation.

Moreover, a substantial number of #eligible officers from the 88 and 89 batches face anticipated exclusion, as current occupants of L-16 positions possess significantly longer service durations. Consequently, the outlook for genuine promotions appears bleak, irrespective of #empanelment decisions.

The #selection process for top-level positions is plagued by complete #opacity, #arbitrariness, and #discriminatory practices. This situation has led to a substantial erosion of trust and fairness within the overall process. A #plea is extended to the Hon’ble Prime Minister to #investigate these serious, irreversible, and destructive actions.

Additionally, it has come to our attention through reliable sources that Shri #NaveenGulati, #Member, Traction & Rolling Stock (#MTRS), is reportedly being removed and relegated to oblivion. The entire Indian Railway fraternity attests to his #uprightness and #integrity. However, due to his unwavering commitment to principles, vested interests have relentlessly pursued his #removal, ultimately succeeding in their mission.

This development is an #ominous sign for Indian Railways. In a similar incident last month, the sudden removal of the #GMNER and #GMNFR/Con without apparent reason further underscores the #whimsical, #arbitrary, and #dictatorial nature of the current Railway leadership, which seems unstoppable and is causing irreparable #damage to the Railways.

One needs to note that a senior officer has #court judgements in his favour but how long can an individual fight well funded and supported #KMG?

In case an affected officer goes to court, #elevation of the #traffic officer who failed in various lower level reviews can be easily stopped by the courts given its opaqueness.

This lack of rule based working is #MOST_UNSAFE condition of railways.

Minister sahab you talk of #transparency. Please ask your team to be #transparent on matters of empanelment in IRMS.

Problems with Recently Proposed Orders for Empanelment

#SeemaKumar, despite failing in two levels of review for promotion to L-16 of #IRMS, is now set to be promoted to L-17 of #IRMS. Her past postings indicate that her level of #experience is significantly lower than that of several officers in #technical and #traffic services. It is perplexing how someone who has failed in a lower class can be given #distinction in a higher class?

Additionally, three officers from the #Stores service are being promoted as #GeneralManagers, which defies all logic. It is questionable how an officer who has never held positions such as #ADRM or #DRM in the past can be considered suitable for an open-line #GM role. This situation reveals how the current leadership of Railways has trivialized and degraded the importance of the #GeneralManager position?

It is utterly demoralising to find officers who have worked on railway operations at cutting edge being overlooked while officers who never had to work on line, solve field problems, earn revenue, face unions like those from stores department being selected instead.

A senior traffic officer wrote to us, mentioning, how can a stores officer, while not having any malice for an individual, can simultaneously prioritize both generating revenue and ensuring safety if he has never worked in positions where these decisions are routinely taken? The officer also questioned how the #Minister can expect a stores officer to prioritize #Safety when senior officers responsible for railway safety are facing disregard for their career advancements.

We share the same perspective. Transporting massive amounts of #cargo and crores of #Passengers every day requires well-disciplined teams, led by officers who are completely trusted for their competence. However, when officers rise in rank solely based on #favouritism rather than skill, it becomes challenging for the staff to respect these leaders. It takes an entire career for an officer to be trained by experienced seniors in order to handle significant challenges and make decisions that withstand the test of time.

Similarly, we have learnt that an officer is proposed to be posted as #GM at #CORE, which is set to shut down on December 31st, 2023. Meanwhile, Mr #ManojAkhauri serves as the Director General (#DG) of the defunct #NAIR in a room that belongs to a senior professor, while the DG’s bungalow is now occupied by a #private individual serving as the #ViceChancellor of #GatiShakti Vishwavidyalaya (#GSV).

National Academy of Indian Railways (#NAIR) is expected to have yet another DG, which diminishes the role and significance of the position. This treatment is extremely demoralizing for the entire officer fraternity in #IndianRailways, as the position of DG/NAIR is now seen as doormat.

If this is how General Managers are being treated, it is difficult for them to maintain #respect and #authority among their officers and staff.

Pinnacle of Absurdity

It has recently come to light that #LocoPilots with insufficient running experience are being appointed as Chief Loco Inspectors (#CLI), which raises concerns about how they can earn the respect of their serving loco pilots?

Thus the issue of #arbitrariness in #postings not only affects senior officers in leadership positions but also impacts the morale of the frontline #LPs. It should be noted that #Signal Passing At Danger (#SPAD) continues to be a major problem for Indian Railways-a mode of failure which involves both #LPs and #CLIs.

A senior #Signalling officer, who is due to retire on November 30, was forced to write a strongly-worded letter to the #RailwayBoard after being transferred a week before #retirement. It is disheartening to see an officer on the verge of retirement being pushed to use such language. “Transferred 3 days before retirement, employee pens strongly-worded letter to Railway Board”.

https://twitter.com/railwhispers/status/1728482243537236299?s=46

These mindsets contributes to #unsafe working conditions. When individuals who lack decision-making experience and the #ability to command respect and loyalty are in charge of the railways, it is necessary for the #Minister and the Chairman of the Railway Board (#CRB) to watch the #NETFLIX docuseries on the role of railway personnel during the #Bhopal-gas-tragedy.