Instructions of railway board go for a toss

Visakhapatnam: When a General Manager of the railways arrives at a station for inspection, the door handle is dusted off and a foot mat is placed for the official to step into. A team of subordinates follow the higher official until his inspection concludes. Earlier, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned that, if a country has to be transformed, then the railways have to be transformed first.

However, in a recent farewell function of the railway officials, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made it clear that those working in railways should do away with such colonial mindset. "The day the General Manager starts welding, the railways will witness real changes. 'I am a higher official, the subordinates should salute me as soon as they set their eyes on me and I should be accorded a VVIP's treatment.' Such age-old traditions have to be shunned," expressed the Union Railway Minister. Referring to the change in mindsets of the railway officials, the Railway Minister made such statement. On December 31, 2022, Director of Corporate Coordination Railway Board Kuldip Singh issued a circular to the General Managers of the Indian Railways that in order to do away with the traditional way of inspection and improve the effectiveness of inspections, the Annual General Manager's inspection of divisions and workshops is dispensed with immediate effect.

However, the railway officials appear to be reluctant to pay heed to the instructions. On January 3 and 4, AGM of East Coast Railway Sharad Kumar Shrivatsava went ahead with a two-day inspection tour along Waltair Division. His inspection visits included Vadlapudi Wagon workshop and Visakhapatnam railway station. The inspection is an indication that the instruction of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Director of Corporate Coordination Railway Board Kuldip Singh was not taken into serious consideration. The Railway Board decided to do away with such colonial tradition as they attract cost besides time and attention of the railway personnel.

Despite clear instructions, the maiden step towards this direction is yet to be taken by the railway officials. Such transformation could be made possible only if efforts are centred on grooming professionalism consciously and enhancing public behaviour and the officials become more work-minded. And the Director of Corporate Coordination Railway Board Kuldip Singh's circular instructing the Annual General Manager's inspection of divisions and workshops is dispensed with immediate effect it is yet to be implemented in letter and spirit.