Vadodara division of WR fund-starved

About 82 mail, express and passenger trains and 12 goods trains pass through the Vadodara division everyday; few get time for inspection and repairs.

Barely does the Ahmedabad-Janata Express reach Mumbai after an overnight journey than it prepares to leave. In the day, it travels between Ahmedabad and Vadodara as the Intercity Express. Similarly, within an hour of reaching Vadodara from Mumbai in the morning, the Baroda Express leaves as the Sayajinagari Express. Similar is the story for several other train units.

Senior Commercial Manager K L Enkhia says coaches need to be serviced only after 2,500 km, a regulation that was complied with.

While regular maintenance may compensate for the wear-and-tear the train coaches undergo, the tracks continue to be under constant pressure. Sources say the tracks have passed saturation point and a third track is needed urgently. A proposal for an extra track has been pending with the Railway ministry for three years now.

Railway sources say, it was crucial to replace worn-out gears, particularly at Ankleshwar and Kosamba, where the Mumbai Express derailed, add an attachment to the overcrowded yards and replace the gears and liver-frames at the Vadodara and Miyagam stations. These plans have been held up because of the “funds crisis”.

The number of vacant posts is around 1,100. According to the Western Railway Mazdoor Sangh, track-lifting jacks, certain sizes of bolts and wooden sleepers are not available anywhere in the division. “No extra labour is provided to the PWIs to keep track parameters within stipulated parameters”, alleges the Sangh. Rather, “literate gangmen are transferred to other departments for regularisation. Track modernisation requires educated and skilled staff and their non-availability is a handicap for PWIs”.