Early morning is as tranquil as can be at Secunderabad railway station. Sanitation workers are sweeping, arrival of trains is announced while passengers lug their baggage around on the platforms. Popular East Coast Express onward to Howrah chugs into platform one. Even as everyone clambers in, there is a certain alertness among railway officers and police scanning the area.
Minutes before the train moves, South Central Railway (SCR) General Manager Vinod Kumar Yadav walks by and quietly slips into the last bogie without much ado. The train starts as he settles into his seat, with his Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Amit Vardhan and other officers who open up their respective diaries and files. The window blinds rise, opening up the backside of the train ‘exposing’ the track and surrounding spaces.
The train hurtles past the station and passes the outskirts, picking up speed towards Ghatkesar. “Tracks look clean and the maintenance is good,” the GM, who until then has been poring through the track geometry index and other details, says as smiles spread around. “Otherwise, by now you would have noticed exaggerated movement of the train with jerks,” he says, probing the engineers seated behind on a berth on the quality parameters followed.
“We have put an extra effort into cleaning up the track and surroundings outside stations area too. It has been made part of our maintenance because we have noticed a lot of garbage gets dumped from trains as they near stations,” he says.
The GM is travelling in his official inspection saloon — a full wagon modified into different sections like a work station where window trailing is done, a two-berth coupe with attached loo for his secretary, his own coupe with attached loo, followed by a dining hall with a sofa and satellite TV, then the small servant coupe and kitchen, also with attached loo. Track viewing section has instruments indicating the speed of train, temperature, etc. Surely, railway GMs travel in style!
“Actually, we can take an entire train if need be and at all divisions, a saloon is kept ready just in case. I try to inspect track and rail-related infrastructure works at least once a month,” says Mr. Yadav, credited with bringing about a managerial change by lending an ear to grassroot staff. GMs need not travel so often on window trials, a senior officer informs, “but this one is very keen to know what is happening”.
As if on cue, Mr. Yadav picks out a section passing by and wonders why speed limits were reduced to 50 kmph and less, when it should be 100 kmph. “Sir, the soil is loose and we need to strengthen it further before putting the ballast,” explains a section engineer. Immediately, a change in tactics is ordered to complete the work faster.
“We need to carefully balance our maintenance work with running time of our trains with proper coordination and quick decisions,” he says, as engineers put forth maps indicating where Mission Bhagiratha pipelines are being laid crossing the tracks. “We have completed our tunneling work on time based on the TS Government’s request,” he attests, seeking reports on the pending road over bridge projects.
Mr. Yadav also keeps watch on overhead electric traction, alertness at level crossings, signaling by staff on stations en route where the train speeds by while being briefed about new initiatives like mobile tracking of trackmen, scientific ballast cleaning, etc. Half-done work does not escape his gaze as he had noticed at Khammam where a spare maintenance track line is left after pillar came up. “The contractor is not taking up work so we have requested the tender be cancelled,” says an engineer, which makes him call up the engineering administrative head to put up the file for cancellation and to re-tender the very the next day.
The GM alights at Jangoan and Kazipet stations where there is more than a minute’s halt, greets the guard and station staff and talks to passengers on the train and at stations. He goes around stations to look at amenities too. The proximity with the GM that the inspection offers also helps officers bring their career issues to his notice. “Give me a representation, I will take it up with the Railway Board,” he promises a couple of senior officers awaiting post upgrade.
Mr. Yadav’s unassuming nature makes people reach out to him as he keeps prodding: “Is there any issue, please tell me”. “I learnt a lot observing my superiors during my deputation with the Central Government, especially with V.K. Shunglu, who later on became CAG,” he says. And, true to his style, he orders lunch for all in the saloon where he expresses hope that Indian Railways under the present leadership can reach its full potential. While he retires to his coupe to attend a few calls, the train reaches Vijayawada, half an hour early! Well, when the GM travels with you there are advantages!
