Voice of a Young Railway Officer

Problems of Railways (From the eyes of Common People)

1. Lack of punctuality

2. Filthiness

3. Services are not available as per demand ( Rush for tickets, Tatkal Facility etc)

4. Substandard or poor services

5. Lack of security

6. Lawlessness in Railways (Ticket less travel etc.)

7. No system for Grievance Redressal

8. Changes in services provided by Railway are not as per the changing needs/ aspirations of the nation

9. Non- Responsiveness for problems/ changes

10. Staff and Railways officers are not sensitive for the problems of common consumers
 

Cause of Problems
 

Basic Cause – Management Failure

Reasons of Management Failure 

1. Departmental Structure of Indian Railways

2. Multiple stakeholders with little or no loyalty for system

3. Disintegrated system, rather than integrated system

4. Large Divisions

5. Centralization of Power

6. Large number of officers and manpower, which is hampering the system and taking its toll

7. No sense of ownership among officers and staff

8. Wrong ways of Man Power induction

9. Lack of Organizational Vision and Objective

10. Misuse of Talent- People with administrative capabilities are used in routine jobs and Technocrats never do technical jobs

11. Frustrated and depressed set of officers

12. If Railway would have been state, it would have been softest state

 Way Out (Proposed solutions)
 

1. Corporatization and Privatization of Railways-

This solution is being proposed by various committees. There is no doubt that corporatization and privatization may bring some purpose, objective or vision into the organization and this can increase efficiency of organization, making it better organization. 

But, privatization and corporatization of large and far reaching organization like railway, which has a strategic importance too is a doubtful idea. Further, the fact that privatization has not succeeded anywhere, put more questions mark on this idea.

2.  PPP model or gradually increasing roles of private players in the management of IR-

This is the worst proposed solution because it will increase the number of stakeholders in railways. And not add any vision, purpose or objective to the organization.

3. Third model is restructuring of Organization with the purpose of making it leaner, fitter and more efficient, while keeping it in Public domain/ Government system. 

Suggestions-
 

1. Only three services are required in Railways. Indian Railway Management Services, Indian Railways Technical Services and Indian Railway Account Services. Management functions, like operation, estate management, HR, commercial activities should be dealt by Indian Railway Management Services. Technical aspects should be dealt by Indian Railway Technical Services (IRTS). Separate Accounts services may be kept or it may be merged with other account services of Government of India.

2. Railway Ministry should be divided into two departments- Railway Administration Department and Technical Department. 

3. Managerial posts of Railways should be manned by Management service only. 

4. Large zones and divisions should be abolished. There is no need of Zonal Railways, as they don’t do any productive work, other than interpreting instructions of Railway Board. Rather than having large divisions, Railways should be divided into smaller divisions. Smaller divisions, identical to Districts should be formed. Large divisions, with inaccessible geographical areas from divisional headquarters and unmanageable work force, have failed.

5. One small mid layer may be made just for Cadre Control functions. But it should be very lean and should be restricted for cadre control works, like periodical transfers, conducting selections and general monitoring of works of DRMs. There should not be lot of officers.

6. Young blood should be brought into Railway Management. Post of DRM should be of JAG or Selection grade only. Post of ADRM should be of Jr. and Senior Scale. SAG and other senior officers should be used in mid level and highest level policy making. 

7. Delegation of power should be liberal at divisional level, in place of conservative power delegation of today. Further, in place of departmental distribution of work, all powers should be vested into the DRM.  Other officers of technical and managerial services should be there to help the DRM, but power and responsibility should be vested in DRMs mostly.

8. Rationalization of large number of manpower is our dire need. Other than core activities should be stopped and unnecessary categories should be abolished. Further, number of sanctioned strength should be reduced. Mechanization of activities should be preferred. A separate study is needed for this purpose.  

9. All backdoor entry into Railways should be stopped. MR Quota, GM quota, Land Losers, Accident victims, CGA, LARSGESS are cancer for Railways, because inefficient and corrupt manpower bleeds the railways for 30-35 long years. All entries into the Railways should be by merit and should be organized centrally. They should be based upon needs of Railways and not upon needs of others.

10. Similarly, promotions in Railways should be centralized to avoid any corruption and favouritism. 

11. Officers should be make confident and satisfied lot by providing better facilities like home, transportation, perks, bonus etc. which is not systemize in railways. System is running on misutilization and bending of rules. This makes the system corrupt and officers frustrated. Therefore, misutilization of resources should be strictly checked, but better and liberal facilities should be provided to officers at the same time to make them more confident and competent.

12.  Trespassing in Railways premises, be it unauthorized travel, be it unauthorized entry on railway properties should be strictly dealt with.

13. Number of staff and officers should be rationalise as per organisational need.

14. Presently  Railway system is running on the basis of mistrust, rather than trust. However, even in this atmosphere corruption is not checked. Therefore, rules and practices should be established in a way that trusts their members. Inefficient, demotivated and frightened officers and staff are doing more harm than the corruption. System should be streamlined in a way that evoke fear in corrupt, and not in honest.

Hi friends,

आक्रोश कई दिनों से था - लगातार हो रही हिंसा के प्रति भी और मानव के बदलते चरित्र के प्रति भी। लगभग ७५ लोग मारे जाते हैं और मारने वाले घरियाली आंसू बहाते हैं। जी हाँ, मैं बात कर रहा हूँ CRPF पर हुए माओवादियों के हमले की। कुछ व्यक्तिगत व्यस्तताएं थी, या सायद उनका बहाना था, इसलिए चाहकर भी पहले कुछ लिख नहीं पाया। आज भी सायद ही बहुत कुछ लिख पाऊँ, लेकिन फिर भी अब खुद को आपने आक्रोश को अभिव्यक्त करने से रोक नहीं पा रहा। लेकिन सायद अच्हा ही हुआ, क्योंकि अगर मैं पहले लिखता तो मेरे विचार प्रासंगिक कम और गुस्से से भरे आधिक होते। अब जब आक्रोश कुछ कम हो चूका है तो मुझे ऐसा लगता है की हमे इस बात को स्वीकार करना चाहिए कि आज जरूरत नाक्साल्वाद को कानून व्यवस्ता कि समस्या के रूप में देखने कि है। साथ ही यह अवसर है हमारे पुलिस को आधिक बेहतर बनाने का, उनको आधिक people-friendly बनाने का, उनको अधिक बेहतर ट्रेंनिंग देने का और उनको वास्तव में जनता का रक्षक बनाने का। इन सबके अलावा यह अवसर है भारत और इंडिया कि दुरी को पाटने का ताकि हमारे वंचित भाई नक्सालियों के चारे न बन जाएँ।

घरी कि सुइयां इशारा कर रही हैं कि मैं खुद को रोक लूं। कल का दिन सायद मेरे लिए काफी महत्वपूर्ण हो और जिंदगी कि दिसा निर्धारित करे। आसा रखता हूँ कि कल जब वापस ब्लॉग पर आऊँगा तो नक्सालियों के प्रति भले ही आक्रोश हो खुद के प्रति उत्साह होगा। नए सवेरे कि आसा के साथ ............................

Hi friends!

Have you ever seen a MBA working as a Bank clerk! If not, I am sure you would have heard. Anywhere, in any report, in any magazine, in any newspaper, in any news channel. A day before I also had not seen them- the species only to be found in India. But yesterday I saw. I got astonished when I knew that one of my fellow passengers in train, working in a Public Sector bank as a clerk, has a Masters degree in Business Administration. I had heard a report according to which the most graduates and post-graduates of India are unemployable as per the standards of Job market. I can’t say, my fellow passenger was at the par of required qualities or not. I can’t judge him with the meeting of few hours. But it is not the matter of individuals; it is the matter of concern for system. Something is certainly lacking. Something is really wrong, either with our Education system or with our market. Or if not with them, certainly with the mentality and dreams and visions and hopes of our young generation. Or God knows, may be with all.

I am still wondering how an education system can produce a MBA degree holder, who aspires to be a clerk! I am still wondering how the advertisements and hoax can break the supply –demand chain by producing more MBA’s then their requirement, and even that on sky-rocketing fees. I am still wondering how can a 26 year old, an energetic youth, with freshness in life left his or her hope and instead of struggling and fighting for better opportunities and making the wrong correct, satisfies with the low- profile job. I am wondering. But these are not the end. There are many others things to wonder.

We are not producing enough PhD Holders. We are not providing sufficient talent to ISRO or DRDO. We are not producing enough talents to do research, to be entrepreneur, to work for innovation, to won gold medal in Olympics, to win accolades in Oscar. We are not producing enough Amartya Sen’s. We are not producing enough M.S. Swaminathan’s. We are not producing enough Abhinav Bindra’s, or A.R. Rehman’s or Arvind Adigas. We are not producing enough Ranchoddas Shyamal Das Chanchar to come forward and take his own path, except on the silver screen. Even, we are not producing sufficient doctors and nurses and teachers and professors. Our system is just producing some engineers and some MBA’s. Our talent, our great pool of human resources, our demographic benefit is going to dustbin due to unnecessary rat race to become Engineer or MBA to get a social tag. And inspite of these things we are not worried! Not the society, not the system regulator like UGC or AICTE and not even the government as a policy maker are doing anything significant. We as a nation, as a system, as an entity are sitting dumb. So it is high time to take notice, especially for us- the youth. We, we the younger generation-the youngistan, with all of our spirit and youthfulness, should come forward and should left the beaten track. We should restrain our self to be the part of the rat race. We should use our knowledge, to contribute for something better, even if it creates some difficulties for time being. And at the last, but the most importantly, we should not let our desires die, we should not forbid our dreams, we should not let our potential wasted, and we should not waste our education and knowledge and above all, we should have the courage to stay in the chosen field.

Waiting for your replies and suggestions to make this blog more active and lively.

Some days ago one of my fast friends asked me a very simple question- "Why are you so happy?" First of all, I thought this question as very complicated one. With so many problems in world, this much inflation in India and with so much grieves and sorrows in universe how anyone can be happy? And how anyone can be so happy that people simply see his happiness? But, my friend was not concerned to the sorrows and grieves of universe. His question was concerned only to me. How I can be so much happy with all of my struggles, my failures and my inability to convert my potential into success? Anyway, at that imes I was not able to think thoroughly on this question. Really, I was fighting my most crucial war of my so far life. But now the speed of struggles seems to be slow. Now I have the time to thought on that simple question, which answer is also very simple. I was happy because I was doing what I want to do! I would not say that I was not worried, or there was not a fear of failure. but instead of these things I had a hope. And all these things, worries, fear of failures and ultimately hope, were mixing to convert in enthusiam. So my happiness was not my happiness, but it was my enthusiam.
Now I am not so much that much happy. Anyone can see a difference betweenthe guy of one month ago and today's. Today I was waiting, waiting to get the result of my endeavours, my voyage. I don't know I would get it or not. Understandingly, I have some anxiety. But the difference is not due to that anxiety. I am less happy because I was not doing what I want to do.
So the happiness is not only the result of your present condition, it also comes from your mental attitudes towards your condition. If you love your condition you are happy, despite having worries, despite having problems, despite having concerns. But you cannot be a happy person if your mental attitudes doesn't match your present condition. Then question areses- "What should we do?" Should we accept our present position, our present condition and don't try to change anything, except to change our mental attitude. In my view simple answer is yes. But, I warn, it is just the simple answer, not the completely correct one. If you have not the guts to change the time, you have to flow according to time and you have to accept your present condition. Then, it is advisable to like and love your condition. Try to find joy and happiness in day to day activities and you would be happy.
Another answer is to try to change the situation that you don't like. But, it is not easy. You have not only to take many troubles, not only to leave many facilities, but apart form it you have to be ready for facing DEFEAT. But, if you like to take the chance, if you have the guts to change the time, you would certainly get pleasure from this. Not only in result but also in process. But again, it is better not the best.
The best answer lies in, feeling joy in present environment as well as trying to change it for better. This is the best way to be happy. Very few people achieve this masterly achievement. But those who achieve not only spent happy life but also world role red carpet for them. May God make us able to achieve this masterly achievement. AMEN!

Hi Friends,
आप सबको दीपावली की ढेर सारी सुभकामनाएँ। पर ये पर्व सिर्फ़ उल्लास या उत्सव के मौके ही नही कुछ याद करने के अवसर भी हैं। मैं भी इस पर्व के बहाने कुछ कठिन सवाल उठाना चाहता हूँ ताकि बदलाव कि चिरंतन प्रक्रिया में कम से कम अपनी सम्वेधना के माध्यम से योग दे सकूं।
हम सब न जाने कितनी शताब्दियों से दीपावली मना रहे हैं, पर क्या अँधेरा मिटा है? अँधेरा अब भी है , गरीबी, भुखमरी, कुपोषण, आतंकवाद, हिंसा, अभाव के कारन होने वाली मौत, जैसी न जाने कितनी समस्याओं के रूप में। ऐसे में जब हम दिवाली पर उल्लास मनाएं तो यह याद रखना भी जरुरी है कि हम सब की भी जिम्मेवारी है कि हम सब अपनी-अपनी क्षमता के अनुसार इस अंधेरे को मिटाने में अपना अपना योगदान दे ताकि हमारे उन भाईयों के हिस्से भी कुछ प्रकाश आ सके जिन्होंने कभी दिवाली नही मनाई है। आज हम सब संकल्प ले कि हम प्रेम को अपने जीवन मूल्य के रूप में अपनाएंगे और अपनी क्षमताओं का एक छोटा सा हिस्सा और अपनी संवेदनाओं का एक छोटा सा भाग गाँधी के अन्तिम वैयक्ति के लिए भी बचा कर रखेंगे। शायद नीरज कि कुछ पंक्तियाँ मेरी भावनाओं को शब्द दे पा रही हों-
सृजन है अधूरा अगर विश्व भर में
कहीं भी किसी द्वार पर है उदासी
मनुजता नही पूर्ण तब तक बनेगी
कि जब तक लहू के किए भूमि प्यासी
जलाओ दिए पर रहे ध्यान इतना
अँधेरा धरा पर कही रह न जाए।

Hi friends
किसी भी व्यक्ति के लिए सबसे दुखद होता है उसके पास भावनाओं को अभिव्यक्त करने की योग्यता का न होना। मैं खुद को इतना दुर्भाग्यसाली तो नही मानता लेकिन फिर भी कई बार ऐसा होता है कि मैं चाह कर भी अपनी भावनाओं को लोगों तक नही पंहुचा पता। ऐसे में पीरा तो होती ही है। सायद कुछ दिनों से मैं इसी पीरा को झेल रहा हूँ, क्योंकि मैंने पिछले कुछ दिनों से, अपने आलस्य के कारन ब्लॉग पर कुछ भी खास नही लिखा है। ख़ैर, जो भी हो, इस बार जब मैं वापस आया हूँ तो इस संकल्प के साथ कि इस का प्रयोग अनवरत करूंगा। इस बार मैं निरंतरता का कोई वादा तो नही करूंगा लकिन मेरा प्रयास होगा कि मैं आपसे निरंतर जूरा रहूँ, सम्भव हो तो खुद अपनी लेखनी के साथ, अगर सम्भव न हो तो किसी और के विचारों के साथ,पर उसी भाव के साथ जो हम सबको प्रेरित करती है, उसी आग के साथ जो हम सबसे मांग करती है- बदलाव कि अनवरत प्रक्रिया में सकराक्मत योगदान देने की। उम्मीद करता हूँ कि नीचे कि कुछ पंख्कियाँ मेरी पीरा को अभिवयक्त कर पाएँगी ---
अनुभूति अगर अभिवयक्त करुँ जब भी यह अवसर आता है
मेरे संचित सब्धों का स्वर गूंगा सा हो जाता है
अर्थहीन कितनी ही बातें इन अधरों पर आती हैं
अर्थभरी कितनी ही बातें अनकही रह जाती हैं

Waiting for your reply.

Hi friends,
Some time we face the situation in which we want to put all of our presures, tensions and worries to rest and to fight without these mental blocks. Most often in these times, we go to the God and get energy from Him. But at some times we get a god, with the human face. He may be our family member - our father, our mother , our brother -, he may be our teacher, he may be our friend, he may be our colleague, he may be our senior. Anyway, they give us courage, enthusiam, will and less tensed environment to fight. On many times I have got help from such persons. I often think- how can I repay them? I don't know exactly, because most of them help you selflessly. But , in my view, there are still some ways. First of all, we should give 100% to our fight. If we give our 100% to our fight and we win it, it is the biggest payment to the persons, who are helping you. Second thing is to be clear, that we cannot repay them directly. Rather we should try to repay them by helping others. If you feel that you were helped by others when you were facing hard weathers, try to help third person when he is facing his hard weather.
Personaly, I have been helped by many person. But till today, I have not repaid anyone of them. I want that the God made me able to repay my debts by making me successful in my fight and by making me able to help others.
Waiting for your reply.