SRSA not issued IDs for entry to Perambur stadium even after months

‘It was framed to suit N Kanniah, SRMU general secretary’ -Said DREU & SRES

CHENNAI: Nearly three months after bringing in a rule to provide identity cards to everyone entering the Perambur railway stadium, the Southern Railway Sports Association (SRSA) has not issued a single card till date.

The rule was suddenly announced on June 1, ostensibly to restrict movement of non-railway people. It was opposed by Dakshin Railways Employees Union (DREU) and Southern Railway Employees Sangh  (SRES) and others which said ‘it was framed to suit N Kanniah, Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU) general secretary, who walks in the stadium and uses the gymnasium.’ SRMU is the sole recognised employees’ union.

Local residents, who use the stadium for walking, had also protested against the move, prompting a letter to the general manager from DMK working president and leader of opposition M K Stalin demanding a rollback of the move.

Despite this, SRSA went ahead with the plan. Officials said only 15 people had applied for the identity card by paying monthly charges of 350, including a few of Kanniah’s bodyguards. “However, even for them, the cards have not yet been issued,” said an official. With entry to the stadium continuing to be unrestricted, sportspersons are worried that it may affect the quality of the facilities.

SRSA had planned to have ID cards in different colours – blue for railway employees, green for their family members and red for those who aren’t railway employees.

A senior official said there was a dispute between the Perambur railway institute and SRSA over the construction of a boundary wall around a room. Kanniah is the secretary of the institute, while officials of the Chennai division hold other posts. “We are waiting for the resolution of the dispute before issuing the cards,” the official said.

Another official said that SRSA and the institute were conducting the general manager’s cricket cup at the stadium with more than 50 participating teams drawn from railway departments in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The tournament, which is being held after nearly a decade, started on August 1 and has not yet finished. “We will start the process of issuing cards after the matches are over,” said an SRSA official.

GM/SR warns Officers who skipped I-Day event

CHENNAI: At a time when Southern Railway has pressing concerns like the damage to infrastructure due to floods in Kerala, drop in punctuality and high absenteeism among staff, general manager R. K. Kulshrestha has issued orders to find out which officials had turned up for the Independence Day function and who stayed away.

The principal chief personnel officer (PCPO) sent out a letter to all heads of department (HODs) on Thursday asking for the list. “We have enclosed the list of officers who participated in the event on August 15. Kindly confirm if the officer detailed in the list was present. Names of those who have not participated in the above celebration should be forwarded, indicating reasons for not attending,” the letter said.

The letter stated that the General Manager wanted to know this. Sources said that Kulshrestha might take action against those who skipped the function.

As per the railway rules, it is not compulsory for officers to be present at the function. But it is seen as an ‘official protocol’ by officers.

The letter has divided the railway bureaucracy. While some officers have welcomed it, others say it is unwarranted.

“Many officers had other pressing work, including following up the Kerala floods where there has been huge destruction to railway infrastructure. Anyways there was adequate seating arrangement at the venue and union leaders sat in the front row with the GM,” said a senior officer.

“Even soldiers at the border salute the flag before joining duty. Why can’t officers come for the function?” said another officer.

When contacted, GM/SR R. K. Kulshrestha told that he wanted to verify as it is an event of national importance and it is important that officers respect it. “But the personnel department need not have sent a letter. They could have verified on their own,” he said.

Source: TOI