CAG flags obvious questions of safety in East Coast Railway’s observe works
4 min read
Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: Even because the report of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) on the Odisha prepare tragedy has not been made public in view of the continued CBI probe, the CAG in its newest audit has flagged obvious questions of safety as a result of a scarcity of inspections and observe upkeep in East Coast Railway (ECoR) that oversees rail operations within the state.
As per the Indian Railway everlasting approach handbook (IRPWM), the broad gauge routes must be monitored by observe recording vehicles (TRCs) recurrently, however the audit evaluation revealed that there have been shortfalls in inspections as a result of hostile inner useful resource place. The shortfall in inspection was round 63 per cent between 2017 and 2021 in ECoR – among the many highest within the zonal railways within the nation. Of the 32 inspections due in the course of the interval, solely 12 had been completed. The shortfall in TRC inspections had hostile penalties on the standard of property with implications on the protected operation of trains. There was additionally a scarcity of manpower required for the upkeep of tracks. The audit indicated that required steps weren’t taken for satisfactory staffing within the security class, which impacted the standard of upkeep.
The CAG evaluation revealed, testing in rails and welds, which is meant to be carried out by senior part engineers and supervised by assistant divisional engineer and senior divisional engineer, was by no means performed in ECoR in the course of the interval. The ratio of observe size to variety of inspections was one of many poorest within the ECoR zone as solely 10 inspections had been performed for two,800 km observe within the four-year interval by the upper authorities with a ratio of 1120:1. While not a single inspection was carried out in 2020-21, 4 every had been performed in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and two in 2019-20.
Similarly, in respect of observe renewal works, the utmost shortfall of 52.04 per cent and 63.10 per cent was seen within the Waltair division of ECoR in 2017-18 and 2019-20, respectively. Of the 1,698 non-AC passenger coaches, 718 coaches had been with out fireplace extinguishers and it was because of the laxity on the a part of railway administration.
The audit identified the particular fund Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh, created in 2017 to enhance railway security, was misused to purchase furnishings, utensils, crockery, computer systems and printers, foot massager, develop passenger facilities like lifts and escalators apart from the works in employees quarters and officers relaxation home.
The ECoR has spent Rs 3.37 crore from the protection fund for passenger facilities, Rs 15 lakh for employees quarters and officers’ relaxation home, Rs 10 lakh for computer systems and printers, Rs 5 lakh for furnishings and utensils and Rs 6 lakh for others like ACs, foot massager and winter jackets.
BHUBANESWAR: Even because the report of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) on the Odisha prepare tragedy has not been made public in view of the continued CBI probe, the CAG in its newest audit has flagged obvious questions of safety as a result of a scarcity of inspections and observe upkeep in East Coast Railway (ECoR) that oversees rail operations within the state.
As per the Indian Railway everlasting approach handbook (IRPWM), the broad gauge routes must be monitored by observe recording vehicles (TRCs) recurrently, however the audit evaluation revealed that there have been shortfalls in inspections as a result of hostile inner useful resource place. The shortfall in inspection was round 63 per cent between 2017 and 2021 in ECoR – among the many highest within the zonal railways within the nation. Of the 32 inspections due in the course of the interval, solely 12 had been completed. The shortfall in TRC inspections had hostile penalties on the standard of property with implications on the protected operation of trains. There was additionally a scarcity of manpower required for the upkeep of tracks. The audit indicated that required steps weren’t taken for satisfactory staffing within the security class, which impacted the standard of upkeep.
The CAG evaluation revealed, testing in rails and welds, which is meant to be carried out by senior part engineers and supervised by assistant divisional engineer and senior divisional engineer, was by no means performed in ECoR in the course of the interval. The ratio of observe size to variety of inspections was one of many poorest within the ECoR zone as solely 10 inspections had been performed for two,800 km observe within the four-year interval by the upper authorities with a ratio of 1120:1. While not a single inspection was carried out in 2020-21, 4 every had been performed in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and two in 2019-20. googletag.cmd.push(perform() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );
Similarly, in respect of observe renewal works, the utmost shortfall of 52.04 per cent and 63.10 per cent was seen within the Waltair division of ECoR in 2017-18 and 2019-20, respectively. Of the 1,698 non-AC passenger coaches, 718 coaches had been with out fireplace extinguishers and it was because of the laxity on the a part of railway administration.
The audit identified the particular fund Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh, created in 2017 to enhance railway security, was misused to purchase furnishings, utensils, crockery, computer systems and printers, foot massager, develop passenger facilities like lifts and escalators apart from the works in employees quarters and officers relaxation home.
The ECoR has spent Rs 3.37 crore from the protection fund for passenger facilities, Rs 15 lakh for employees quarters and officers’ relaxation home, Rs 10 lakh for computer systems and printers, Rs 5 lakh for furnishings and utensils and Rs 6 lakh for others like ACs, foot massager and winter jackets.
