Rlys sees red, suspends 3, transfers 12

A day after Mirror Test Drive revealed that station guestrooms were being rented out as couple rooms, Ahmedabad Railway Division instituted an inquiry

Yogesh Avasthi

Posted On Friday, July 08, 2011 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/201107082011070803222629aa6995d2/Rlys-sees-red-suspends-3-transfers-12.html

Heads were sent rolling a day after Mirror Test Drive revealed how railway employees were renting out the station guestrooms meant for passengers to couples seeking privacy.
Shocked by the goings-on at Vishram Gruh on Ahmedabad railway station premises, senior railway officials instituted an inquiry on Thursday morning. Three tainted employees were immediately suspended and 12 transferred to other departments.
Higher officials of Ahmedabad Railway Division and Western Railway were supervising the inquiry, sources said. New staff was appointed to overlook the administration of Vishram Gruh, sources told Mirror.
During the sting conducted on July 1 and July 6, four Mirror reporters procured rooms at the Vishram Gruh on the first floor of railway station by a peon who charged them Rs 150 for half-an-hour.
“After primary investigation, three employees responsible for managing the guestrooms during the shifts mentioned in Mirror report were suspended. They are chief booking officer M D Shah, head booking clerk K R Mishra and peon Ganpat Vaghela. The three will be transferred to other locations and a major chargesheet filed against them as per the rules of Railway Board. The quantum of punishment will be decided later,” said Dinesh Chanchodiya, senior divisional railway manager.
Ironically, the railway vigilance office is right opposite the Vishramgruh office on the first floor of the railway station. Three vigilance officers sit here while remaining 12 are seated in the office on platform 12. On Wednesday, when the reporters approached the peon at Vishramgruh around noon, he asked them to come later, saying senior railway officers were carrying out inspection.
Divisional railway manager Rakesh Bahl said, “We will ensure that guestrooms are rented out only to passengers and railway officials. The newly appointed staff will think 10 times before they dare to do something as shameful as this.”
The reporter’s calls to Minister of State for Railways Bharatsinh Solanki went unaswered. As per railways rules, the guestrooms are to be rented out to a passenger after entering his name and PNR number in the register. The passenger is also required to submit copy of his ID proof.
The rooms are meant for passengers. But staff rented them out to our reporters (L), Bharatsinh Solanki, minister of state for railways, did not answer reporter’s calls (R)

More than what meets the eye?
Problem in the ministry? Sack the clerk. Expired medicine administered? Sack the ward boy. On far too many occasions, we tend to either brush the problem under the carpet or hold the lowly staffers responsible. They either get the sack or are transferred. Railway officers at Ahmedabad station have done precisely that -- suspended three lowly functionaries and transferred 12 entrusted with running the Vishram Gruh. If only wishing the problem away washed it away, too.
An excerpt from the transcript of the conversation recorded on July 1 between a Mirror reporter and the peon Ganpat Vaghela — who was suspended on Thursday — indicates that even higher officials were apparently in the know of the illegal practice at Vishramgruh. However, whether or not they will be held guilty remains to be seen.

Reporter: Aa rakho (Keep this)
Vaghela: Bas aatla?? (Only this much)
Reporter: Kaal param divase ayeye toh chalse ne? (Is it okay if we come tomorrow, day after tomorrow?”
Vaghela: Madam aavse... (Madam will be here)
Reporter: Tame ketla wage aao? (At what time will you come?)
Vaghela: Hun toh 8 thhi 8 hovu (I am here from 8 am to 8 pm)
Reporter: Tamaro number aapo ne
Vaghela: ____
Reporter: Hmm. Maara friend ne bik lagti hati vaat karta tamari jode.(My friend was scared of talking to you.)
Vaghela: Darvanu nahi aa babato maan yaar. Gamey te officero hoye toh puchi le. (You should not be scared about such things. Even other officers would ask you the same question)
Reporter: Hmm
Vaghela: Guruvaar ane ravivar hun nathi (I am not here on Sundays and Thursdays)
Reporter: Tamari raja hoye? (Is it your off?)
Vaghela: Haa (Yes)
Reporter: Toh tya ae Madam hoye? (So, will the woman employee be there?)
Vaghela: Haan pan aee 300-400 thi ochu na le (Yes, but she wouldn’t ask for anything less than Rs 300-Rs 400)
Reporter: Acha, roj na aava loko aave khara? Ketla aave? (Do couples come here every day? How many of them come?)
Vaghela: 4-5 aave. Pan, Id proof badhu maange ame loko passengero na...(Four-five couples come daily. We ask the PAN card copy and ID proof only from passengers)
Reporter: Passenger maate hoye id proof? (Is ID proof only for passengers?)
Vaghela: Haan, PNR ne ae badhu (Yes, they even have to submit their PNR)
Reporter: AC? Non-AC na ketla?
Vaghela: Rs 625 AC, Rs 450 non-AC
Reporter: Ae bahane tamaru income thayi jaye?
Vaghela: Kyaan thi...amne officero ne aapvu pade (How...we have to give the money to the officers)
Reporter: Ketla?(How much?)
Vaghela: Aapvu etle ee loko rehwa aawe toh cha ne panin karawu pade...kya thi lavana paisa (When they come to stay here we have to provide them tea and snacks. How else do we get money for the purpose...)
Reporter: Tame kyan raho cho? (Where do you stay?)
Vaghela: Saraspur
Reporter: Post su? Peon tarike? (What is your post? Are you a peon?)
Vaghela: Haan (Yes)