Southern Railway: ‘Mafia Union’ forces dismantling of ‘culture squad’
It was a major success, with the acknowledging a ‘massive response’ to the scheme, now DRM questioning, Why only the culture squad!
CHENNAI: A unique initiative by the Chennai division of Southern Railway to regulate unauthorized passengers in reserved coaches has been ‘temporarily disbanded’ after a meeting with the sole recognized the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU), on Tuesday, 2nd April.
The Chennai division had brought in a ‘culture squad’ – a 14-member team in November last year specifically tasked to deboard passengers traveling without reservation from Chennai Central to eastern and western parts of India.
These are the trains in which Southern Railway has failed to keep a check on passengers traveling without valid tickets and they, in turn, encroach on the reserved coaches, causing problems to bona fide passengers.
The squad was also responsible for cracking down on railway employees traveling illegally in suburban trains – especially in first-class coaches – by carrying union cards to ‘bully’ regular commuters.
The team did not have powers to collect fines, but it had brought in a change in the ‘culture’ by directing the unauthorized passengers and employees to disembark and board the next train.
Sources said SRMU objected to the culture squad in a meeting on Tuesday. “Many trains are not manned by TTEs. Priority should be given to these squads, as per railway board orders,” said SRMU divisional secretary Paul Maxwell Johnson.
Immediately after the meeting, verbal orders were issued to disband the squad, sources said. Some have even been asked to go on leave.
It was a major success, with the Divisional Railway Manager’s (DRM) Twitter handle acknowledging a ‘massive response’ to the scheme.
DRM, Chennai Division, Naveen Gulati told that the scheme was being reviewed. “There are too many squads. There was nothing technically defined about this squad,” he said.
When asked if it was due to SRMU’s pressure following a crackdown on railway employees traveling without valid pass or tickets, he said that all squads should penalize unauthorized passengers. Why only the culture squad, all squads should bring in that culture. We will learn from this experience and develop it in all squads, he said.
Courtesy: TOI