‘If someone is there to push you up even a Dog can land in Moon!’

Why is Sr.DOM Ashok Kumar is overprotected by COM Anatharaman?

Without coming to work and doing union activity is unacceptable

Officers on key positions have never gone outside of Trivandrum division

Most of the officer is working in Trivandrum division for past 20-30 years

Trivandrum: The problem with Trivandrum division of Southern Railway is that people in key positions have never gone outside the division. Most of them are working in the division for past 20 to 30 years. There is no fresh air of ideas or solutions in this division. Once their 3-year turn ends they will move to safety from operating and later to commercial and again comes back to operating. This is a vicious circle.

The present crisis in Trivandrum division is the result of COM Anatharaman’s love for one particular officer – Sr.DOM Ashok Kumar – he was a simply glorified controller, nothing else, supposed to be out of operations and Sudheesh, present Sr.DCM, was expected to take over.

But instead of Ashok Kumar moved to Chennai or safety they moved out Sr.DCM Sudheesh and extended Ashok Kumar’s tenure as Sr.DOM one more year, who already had completed three years in the office for not introducing any trains as a token of appreciation he was given an extension.

If Sudheesh was posted in operating, Ashok Kumar will become junior. He already made it clear that he won’t work with anyone. For that reason, they have transferred Sudheesh to Chennai at Southern Railway Head Quarters as DyCCM/PRS.

Even CAT has quashed transfer of Sudheesh but SRMU is up in arms against him. They says, he will be transferred to Chennai or else where at any cost. They also say that CAT order doesn’t say that he may continue in the Sr.DCM post. He may be moved to any unimportant post within Division or Chennai Head Quarters.

After quashed transfer order by the CAT, Sudheesh has taken action against two union leaders who were absent from work for a long time without coming to work and doing union activity is unacceptable, but leaders are not ready to work. Now SRMU is united to fight against him at any cost, sources said.

If Dr. Rajesh Chandran was posted as Sr.DCM on Sudheesh transfer as Sudheesh has approached CAT, there were two persons and only one chair situation in the commercial branch.

Dr. Rajesh Chandran and Sudheesh are two direct officers known for their hard work was put in such unpardonable situation to safeguard the interest of a promottee officer, who in his 27 years of the career have worked only in Trivandrum division except for a six months tenure in Mangalore as area manager in Palakkad division.

Saying only No to others and Yes to his boss Chief Operation Manager (COM) Anatharaman, the growth of a ‘Train Guard’ into Sr.DOM with conferred IRTS (JAG) is an unbelievable story. It reminds you the saying that ‘if someone is there to push you up even one Dog can land in Moon’.

Now the new rumor is that Ashok Kumar will be made station director of Trivandrum Central as he doesn’t want to take up any work such flop position ideal for him says the employees in the division.

Officers like Sudheesh or Rajesh Chandran are rarely seen in Trivandrum division. No good officers want to continue here because over unionism and say no attitude of headquarters.

Rajesh Chandran was earlier in Kochi as Area Manager but as it was new post station director, Chennai, he had nothing to do there. He was sitting along with station manager at Chennai Central railway station without a proper office. He had asked for transfer due to his father in law’s heart surgery. Actually, for that the very next day itself he has flown to Trivandrum. It is heard that he is sitting in PRO office and later gone on leave.

This is what really happened here but no one has clue why SrDOM Ashok Kumar is over protected by COM Anatharaman?

In the initial years of service COM, Anantharaman was a good officer. Only later he becomes a devotee of ‘parcel porter’. No one knows what prompted him to be part of SRMU?

Over the time it has reached a moment that even God can’t save Trivandrum division. Last week a person on corruption charges has been posted as head of electrical deptt in the division.

Another rumor is that SSE who was punished for Utkal express accident has reached Southern Railway, most probably he will be posted in Trivandrum division. Division being in the tail end state of the country is marred by punishment transfers and corrupt officials sitting for years in same offices, and no work attitude of employees match officials.

The General Manager in charge of Southern Railway Sudhanshu Mani is good but heard that someone from South Central Railway (SCR) may become GM/SR. But the general opinion of Southern Railway employees is that if present looking after GM will continue that will be much better for working atmosphere of Southern Railway.

CRB Ashwani Lohani is coming to Kerala next week. Hope he will be brief well about the situation that what is really happening down in the south.

# Above opinion writes by a Trivendram based Senior Journalist to ‘Railway Samachar’.