G S Asgotra
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 26: Employees of Jammu Railways who are staying in railway quarters from Kathua to Jammu say that substandard material has been used in renovating the quarters by the Maintenance and Works department of the railways.
The employees said that because of substandard quality of whitewash and painting of quarters, they are compelled to stay either in private accommodations or engage workers on their own to paint their quarters.
Northern Railway Men's Union president Subash Dogra said the Centre has sanctioned sufficient funds for repairing of railway quarters and for whitewashing and maintenance of railway stations. "But due to lackadaisical approach of the department concerned (Works) and prevailing corruption, most of the funds have been pocketed by some senior officials," Dogra said. "Due to lack of sufficient infrastructure in quarters, the employees are preferring to stay in private accommodation rather than staying near the stations in railway quarters, which defeats the very purpose of the construction," he said.
Another railway employee, wishing anonymity, said that since the railway had allotted works to contractors for repairing of quarters, whitewash, maintenance works of platforms, the structures have been decaying and the department seems unbothered about it.
"Due to prevailing nexus between contractors and engineers of the Works department, the public exchequer is looted and top officials of railway rather than punishing the tainted people are shielding them," he alleged.
He said the non-seriousness of the department could be gauged from the fact that they repeatedly apprised the Assistant Executive Engineer, Ashwani Kumar, but to no avail.
Senior Section Engineer, Shashi Sharma said that he would personally visit the residential quarters of Bari Brahamana and Vijaypur stations to take stock of renovation and whitewashing works recently done by the contractor.
He assured that if he finds negligence on part of the contractor, action would be taken. |
