Railway's exposed rot
Monday, 25 June 2007
COMMUNICATION Adviser Major General (Retd.) M.A Matin clearly described a matter of fact when, after a meeting with its senior officials a few weeks ago, he remorsefully said that the Railway was not sinking but it had already sunk. His harsh conclusion was found to be frustratingly accurate the other day when the Chittagong Mail, bound for the capital, averted a major accident near Narshingdi. Reportedly, the train set off on its over-night journey without its safety chain being operational. While running fast to be ultimately on the same track to collide with an approaching passenger train, it was manoeuvered to come to a halt not by its drivers, nor its guard, but by a junior police official on duty. On finding the chain not working to bring the train to a halt, the admirably dutiful policeman applied his amazing ready wit. He ran forward on board the train and then disconnected its hosepipe de-linking the bogies from the engine. The train came to a halt. So did its disconnected engine.
Reportedly, both drivers of the train were found unconscious on board the engine. A Railway investigation team has concluded that they were drugged with tea served on payment from a tea-stall at the Bairab Railway junction. But it remains yet unknown whether nor not the guard of the train made any effort for bringing it to a halt following its crossing of a red signal at a previous station without deceleration or stoppage. While the policeman concerned should be adequately recognized for his admirable job, not only to encourage him but also others to render extraordinary services whenever needs arise, the official investigation should go deep into the root of the problem. The authorities should not ignore that what happened with the particular train was the result of continuing mismanagement of the Railway sector. A few questions in this regard, which are pertinent, are: How could the train set off on its journey from the originating station with a dysfunctional safety chain? Did the station manager on duty at all check with related employees prior to permitting the train to move on for being sure that everything was in order? How could the guard blow his whistle or wave his flag to signal to the driver for setting off on the journey until he was satisfied that the vital instruments available to him to take control of the train, such as its safety chain, worked well?
Fishes, they say, start rotting from the heads. But organizations, which require alertness in every sphere to function well, may start rotting from any side-- head or toe. The chief of the Railway was not expected to be at the station to oversee the departure of the mail train. But the station manager on duty, the station master and his assistants, and the guard assigned to take charge of the train were all expected to be on their toes for ensuring that the mail set off on its journey in the perfect condition. The lapses on the part of them all, made visible by the averted disaster, should be duly accounted for to establish that there is a management at the top to prevent rotting at the bottom.
Reportedly, both drivers of the train were found unconscious on board the engine. A Railway investigation team has concluded that they were drugged with tea served on payment from a tea-stall at the Bairab Railway junction. But it remains yet unknown whether nor not the guard of the train made any effort for bringing it to a halt following its crossing of a red signal at a previous station without deceleration or stoppage. While the policeman concerned should be adequately recognized for his admirable job, not only to encourage him but also others to render extraordinary services whenever needs arise, the official investigation should go deep into the root of the problem. The authorities should not ignore that what happened with the particular train was the result of continuing mismanagement of the Railway sector. A few questions in this regard, which are pertinent, are: How could the train set off on its journey from the originating station with a dysfunctional safety chain? Did the station manager on duty at all check with related employees prior to permitting the train to move on for being sure that everything was in order? How could the guard blow his whistle or wave his flag to signal to the driver for setting off on the journey until he was satisfied that the vital instruments available to him to take control of the train, such as its safety chain, worked well?
Fishes, they say, start rotting from the heads. But organizations, which require alertness in every sphere to function well, may start rotting from any side-- head or toe. The chief of the Railway was not expected to be at the station to oversee the departure of the mail train. But the station manager on duty, the station master and his assistants, and the guard assigned to take charge of the train were all expected to be on their toes for ensuring that the mail set off on its journey in the perfect condition. The lapses on the part of them all, made visible by the averted disaster, should be duly accounted for to establish that there is a management at the top to prevent rotting at the bottom.