Gadgets to curb overloading of parcels at Chennai Central bypassed
Luggage clerks complained that the terminals had connectivity issues
When vigilance authorities checked the terminals, they were working
Chennai: Raids by the Southern Railway vigilance department have shown that scamsters at Chennai Central parcel office are intelligent enough to render technology meant to curb malpractice ineffective. The raids were conducted in the wake of the parcel scam unearthed at the station a fortnight ago.
To curb overloading, railways had installed a parcel management system (PMS) with an electronic weighing system linked to a centralized computer that would generate a bill and a barcode containing details of the parcel like weight and its destination.
More than a year ago, five hand-held terminals were provided to the parcel office to check barcodes before loading parcels on trains. This was to ensure that the luggage-cum-parcel coach was not overloaded. Overloading can derail a coach.
However, when vigilance sleuths raided the Chennai Central parcel office for around 26 hours in two different operations from Friday to Sunday morning, they found that the handheld terminals were not working, sources in the parcel office said.
“Luggage clerks complained that the terminals, which run on GPRS, had connectivity issues,” a source said. However, when vigilance checked the terminals, they were working. Correspondingly, it was found that manual records were being maintained. A raid was conducted at Egmore on Monday as well, said sources.
Sources said that the gadgets were not being used to facilitate overloading which was rampant. For instance, a consignment with 70 pieces would be booked through PMS which would generate a barcode slip. However, 30 to 40 extra parcels would be loaded manually onto the train as the handheld terminal would not be used to account for loading.
“The vigilance found that on some parcels barcode stickers were not pasted,” a source said. According to sources, there have been cases where parcel staff has avoided sticking barcodes stating shortage of stationery.
A fine of around Rs 30,000 was collected for undervalued parcels. Vigilance may also give charge-memos to parcel clerks for this malpractice, said vigilance sources. Vigilance sources pleaded anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the press.
The vigilance raid on Friday passed off smoothly. However, on Saturday, the sleuths were accosted by men dressed in black and white who called themselves advocates. Usually, vigilance sleuths conducting such raids are accompanied by Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, but they were not seen. The RPF is in-charge of weeding out outsiders from railway stations, but a number of them were found loitering in the parcel office, a source said.
The parcel scam in Chennai Central came to the light after 11 cartons of vests bound for Howrah went missing a fortnight ago. Five employees, including the branch secretary of Southern Railway Mazdoor Union, the sole recognized employees union, were suspended and later issued charge memos for allegedly taking away the parcel from the parcel supervisor.
Courtesy: TOI