CR officials in a tizzy over vigilance dept crackdown

Nagpur: The crackdown by the railway vigilance department against misuse of safety category staff by senior officials has sent shock waves across the entire Central Railway (CR) zone.

On Saturday, the team from Mumbai inspected Nagpur and Ajni yards and depots and conducted a headcount of employees posted there. However, the team found that at least 20-25 safety category employees were missing at both the places.

Sources said apart from Nagpur, similar teams have been fanned out in other Solapur, Pune, Mumbai, and Bhusawal divisions falling under the zone. A secret operation underway to nail officials who are deploying safety category staff at home.

At Nagpur, when the vigilance officials called these employees on their cell phones, they gave some flimsy reasons for not being on duty and failed to justify their claims. The vigilance teams did not find any substance in their statements as well.

"When quizzed, the safety staff revealed that they were working at senior officials' bungalows and doing personal chores without any official orders. These officials included branch heads and their subordinates," sources said.

TOI learnt that there is pressure on vigilance teams to scuttle the probe. These officials were trying to use their offices to ensure they are not exposed.

After a series of train accidents in the last three months in which over 50 passengers died, there are strict orders from the Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani that all safety category staff should be on the field or else action would be taken against the officials.

Lohani also said that general managers would be personally held responsible in case it comes to notice that safety staffers are found working at bungalows of senior officers.

Despite the warning, senior railway officials have failed to mend their ways. Railway sources said the vigilance officials had recorded statements of at least 20 employees at Nagpur who have admitted they worked at homes of officials as drivers, gardeners and maids. They said the orders are from the Railway Board and the reports have already been submitted to the top bosses.