Railways takes steps to end VIP culture
In order to end the VIP culture, the railway ministry has ended a 36-year-old protocol, where it was mandatory for general managers to be present on arrival and departure of the Railway Board chairman and other board members during zonal visits.
The Railway Board has decided to do away with the instructions of a 1981 circular that mandated such protocol.
In an order on September 28, the ministry said the instructions and guidelines issued to the railways regarding the protocol to be observed at airports and railway stations during the visit of the Railway Board chairman and other board members stand withdrawn with immediate effect.
Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said no official will entertain bouquets and gifts.
Senior officials will also have to exercise restraint at home. All officials have to relieve the railway staff, who have been engaged as domestic help in their homes.
Officials say that around 30,000 trackmen work at the homes of senior officials. They have been asked to resume duties. Sources in the ministry say in the past one month 6,000-7,000 personnel have reported back to work.
"No one will be exempt from the directive to rejoin work except under very special circumstances. We are hoping that all the staff will join work shortly," a senior official of the ministry said.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has also asked senior officials to give up travelling in cosy saloons and executive class travel privileges and start travelling in Sleeper and AC Three-tier classes, mingling with other passengers.
These include members of the Railway Board, general managers of railway zones and divisional railway managers of the 50 divisions.
"I believe that when these protocols were in place, people drafting them would have seen some reasoning behind them. It is difficult for me to say what they were though. However, now, these have no logic,” said a former railway board member who didn't want to be qouted.