GTB Nagar is among the 24 railway stations, which operates without a station master
By Kamal Mishra
Clerks in-charge double up as station masters here after CR gave up the posts to cost-cutting measures of the 90s.
Ever wondered why Central Railways services are so dismal? Here's the answer, or at least a part of it: 24 of the 76 stations on the central line do not have station managers.
A station master plays a pivotal role in train operations and general upkeep of the station. He is supposed to attend to any accident that takes place in the area under his jurisdiction, assume charge of the site and oversee relief measures. He is also mandated to note information that may be required for investigation and also ensure that everything is in good nick.
In all these 24 stations, the head of the booking clerks doubles up as the station master. Although he is empowered and accountable just as the station manager, it's not the ideal situation as double work load often interferes with clerk in-charge's daily duties.
"It's also detrimental for passengers' safety," says Praveen Vajpayee, general secretary of Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh.
The stations functioning without a full-time station master are Airoli, Rabale, Ghansoli, Nahur, Kalwa, Mumbra. Thakurli, Koper, Dockyard Road, Cotton Green, GTB Nagar, Vidya Vihar, Kanjurmarg, Chinchpokli, Curry Road, Tilak Nagar, Govandi, Sanpada, Seawood, Khandeshwar, Vithalwadi, Ulhasnagar, Shahad and Ambivali.
While around 25,000 passengers travel daily through stations like Rabale, Koper, Dockyard Road and Tilak Nagar, the footfall in GTB Nagar, Govandi is over 50,000. In Mumbra, the figure touches 80,000 daily.
In order to understand why the railways have adopted such a cavalier attitude towards these 24 stations on the Central line, one has to step back in time a little bit. In the nineties, when Indian Railways was reeling under a fund crunch, some drastic costcutting measures were adopted. These included doing away with the master's post in stations which did not have a signal, panel (the controlling panel from where crossover tracks are controlled) and points (the physical point where the tracks cross over). The clerk in-charge was made responsible for such stations. Largely, such stations were the ones in small towns and villages where there was hardly any train traffic. The Central Railway, in its wisdom, decided to implement the cost-cutting measures while the Western Railway decided against doing so since a large number of passengers and trains pass through Mumbai.
Central Railway spokesperson AK Singh told Mirrorthat a station master was not required in stations that did not have signals, panels, and points. Such stations are managed by the clerk in-charge.
However, the importance of the station master is not lost on the Western Railway. Shailendra Kumar, divisional manger Mumbai Central in Western Railway, said that the work of a station master had increased manifold and thus the post has become very important. The station master's brief is to ensure efficient working of all public facilities and utilities.
Subhash Gu[pta, member, Zonal Railway Users' Consultative Committee, said: "Running stations without station mangers is a very serious issue. I think Central Railway is playing with passengers' safety. And I think this is the basic reason why quality of Western and Central Railway services is so vastly different." he added.
