TTEs make travellers vacate seats to have a drink; get suspended
After getting sozzled, three ticket checkers on double decker express leave the train at Maninagar to avoid being caught at Kalupur where they are supposed to sign off; they don’t attend office on Friday to avoid department probe, medical test
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Saturday, June 29, 2013 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2013062920130629030557418c4810c1d/TTEs-make-travellers-vacate-seats-to-have-a-drink;-get-suspended.html
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Saturday, June 29, 2013 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2013062920130629030557418c4810c1d/TTEs-make-travellers-vacate-seats-to-have-a-drink;-get-suspended.html
The Ahmedabad division of Western Railways has suspended three travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) for dereliction of duty following a drinking session onboard Mumbai- Ahmedabad double decker express. Passengers said the officials and a few catering staff had got drunk and inconvenienced the passengers in a coach. The TTEs got down from the train at Maninagar station, giving rise to the suspicion that they had been tipped off by other railway officials who had come to know about their misdemeanour.
The TTEs did not attend office on Friday, thus escaping the medical tests that could have established alcohol in their blood. The drama began unfolding around 8 pm when the Ahmedabad-bound train reached Vadodara. The TTEs asked three of the passengers in C-6 coach to vacate the seat and shift to the upper deck. The train did not have many passengers, now that the summer vacation rush is over. The passengers resisted in the beginning and wanted to know the reason for the diktat. The mystery lasted a few seconds only as the officials made their intentions clear. “We have our programme here. You either go up or join us,” said one of them. Sources said some catering staff joined the booze session and got so drunk that they almost passed out.
READER ALERTS MIRROR
An Ahmedabad Mirror reader who was travelling to the city informed this correspondent who, in turn, informed Divisional Railway Manager A K Tiwari. The divisional chief asked Assistant Commercial Manager Atul Tripathi to look into the matter. While Tripathi and Railway Protection Force Inspector Sanjay Choudhary along with their teams waited for the arrival of the train at Kalupur station, the terminating point, the TTEs and catering staff got down at Maninagar station when the train stopped there waiting for clearance to move ahead.
The suspicion that they had been tipped off, became stronger as the train does not have a scheduled halt at Maninagar, pointed out the alert Mirror reader. “He was so drunk that his colleagues offered to escort him out of the platform, but he insisted to go alone. We saw him walk away taking shaky steps,” he said. The train departs from Mumbai Central at 2.20 pm and is scheduled to arrive at Ahmedabad at 9.40 pm. The train however, reached Kalupur only around 10.15 pm after arriving at Maninagar in time. The coach was cleaned spic and span and none could tell the drama had taken place in it a few minutes ago.
SUSPICION CONFIRMED
That the TTEs had indulged in mischief was evident from the fact that they did not head of their room after disembarking from the train, as is the practice. Officials waiting for them at the TTE office finally had to make public announcement asking them to reach the office. When all TTEs on board reached the office, Tripathi found that Anup Christian, R K Khichi and R K Verma were missing. According to the Mirror reader it was Verma who had got drunk with the catering staff and was in no position to continue with his duty and sign off at Kalupur station.
“We have suspended Christian, Khichi and Verma with immediate effect for not signing off duty. We have called them to face an inquiry at 11 am on Friday,” Tripathi said. However, officials said none of the three suspended officials turned up at the appointed hour.
STRINGENT ACTION TO BE TAKEN
When asked why the three TTEs and the catering supervisor were not called to the office despite the department having their cellphone numbers, Tiwari said, “It is evident that they have committed mistake. That is why they are on the run. We will take stringent action against them to set an example for others.” The TTEs by not reporting for inquiry on Friday escaped the medical test that could have established alcohol in their blood. “Medical test can establish the amount of alcohol consumed only if it is conducted within 24 hours of consumption. After this period it is difficult to nail the truth,” said Dr M M Prahbakar, Civil Hospital medical superintendent.
NOT THE FIRST CASE
This is not the first case of railway officials consuming liquor on duty. In April a police complaint was lodged against a deputy station supervisor whom passengers had found drunk. No departmental action has been taken against him and the official continues to report for duty. About four months ago, a heavilydrunk ticket checker of an express train who overcharged and behaved improperly with passengers was slapped and dragged to the railway police in Mumbai. The TTE who lives in the railway colony in Sabarmati, had boarded the S-12 compartment of the 9017 Bandra-Jamnagar Saurashtra Janata Express at Bandra.
The TTEs did not attend office on Friday, thus escaping the medical tests that could have established alcohol in their blood. The drama began unfolding around 8 pm when the Ahmedabad-bound train reached Vadodara. The TTEs asked three of the passengers in C-6 coach to vacate the seat and shift to the upper deck. The train did not have many passengers, now that the summer vacation rush is over. The passengers resisted in the beginning and wanted to know the reason for the diktat. The mystery lasted a few seconds only as the officials made their intentions clear. “We have our programme here. You either go up or join us,” said one of them. Sources said some catering staff joined the booze session and got so drunk that they almost passed out.
READER ALERTS MIRROR
An Ahmedabad Mirror reader who was travelling to the city informed this correspondent who, in turn, informed Divisional Railway Manager A K Tiwari. The divisional chief asked Assistant Commercial Manager Atul Tripathi to look into the matter. While Tripathi and Railway Protection Force Inspector Sanjay Choudhary along with their teams waited for the arrival of the train at Kalupur station, the terminating point, the TTEs and catering staff got down at Maninagar station when the train stopped there waiting for clearance to move ahead.
The suspicion that they had been tipped off, became stronger as the train does not have a scheduled halt at Maninagar, pointed out the alert Mirror reader. “He was so drunk that his colleagues offered to escort him out of the platform, but he insisted to go alone. We saw him walk away taking shaky steps,” he said. The train departs from Mumbai Central at 2.20 pm and is scheduled to arrive at Ahmedabad at 9.40 pm. The train however, reached Kalupur only around 10.15 pm after arriving at Maninagar in time. The coach was cleaned spic and span and none could tell the drama had taken place in it a few minutes ago.
SUSPICION CONFIRMED
That the TTEs had indulged in mischief was evident from the fact that they did not head of their room after disembarking from the train, as is the practice. Officials waiting for them at the TTE office finally had to make public announcement asking them to reach the office. When all TTEs on board reached the office, Tripathi found that Anup Christian, R K Khichi and R K Verma were missing. According to the Mirror reader it was Verma who had got drunk with the catering staff and was in no position to continue with his duty and sign off at Kalupur station.
“We have suspended Christian, Khichi and Verma with immediate effect for not signing off duty. We have called them to face an inquiry at 11 am on Friday,” Tripathi said. However, officials said none of the three suspended officials turned up at the appointed hour.
STRINGENT ACTION TO BE TAKEN
When asked why the three TTEs and the catering supervisor were not called to the office despite the department having their cellphone numbers, Tiwari said, “It is evident that they have committed mistake. That is why they are on the run. We will take stringent action against them to set an example for others.” The TTEs by not reporting for inquiry on Friday escaped the medical test that could have established alcohol in their blood. “Medical test can establish the amount of alcohol consumed only if it is conducted within 24 hours of consumption. After this period it is difficult to nail the truth,” said Dr M M Prahbakar, Civil Hospital medical superintendent.
NOT THE FIRST CASE
This is not the first case of railway officials consuming liquor on duty. In April a police complaint was lodged against a deputy station supervisor whom passengers had found drunk. No departmental action has been taken against him and the official continues to report for duty. About four months ago, a heavilydrunk ticket checker of an express train who overcharged and behaved improperly with passengers was slapped and dragged to the railway police in Mumbai. The TTE who lives in the railway colony in Sabarmati, had boarded the S-12 compartment of the 9017 Bandra-Jamnagar Saurashtra Janata Express at Bandra.
