Indian Railways, which already has several top-level vacancies, will face more such vacancies soon.

Out of seven members of the Railway Board, two positions, Member (Traffic) and Member (Staff), have been lying vacant for nearly two months now. While the Chairman, Railway Board, is himself handling the portfolio of Member (Traffic), the Member (Engineering) handles the portfolio of Member (Staff) as an additional charge. More importantly, the Chairman and Financial Commissioner, both Board level positions, are due to retire on June 30. Their successors are yet to be named.

GM positions

Four out of 26 positions of General Managers across various zonal railways and production units of the Railways are vacant and at least one of them, the position of GM in Metro Rail, Kolkata, for nearly a year now. The GM of West Bengal-based Chittaranjan Locomotives, a production unit, has been functioning as GM of Metro Rail as an additional charge.

The GM positions in three other zonal railways have been lying vacant since April/early May. These are South East Central Railway (SECR), Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR). The GM of East Coast Railway is looking after SECR as an additional charge. Similarly, the GM of North Western Railway is looking after WR and the GM of Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, a production unit, CR as additional charge.

The positions of two more GMs in South Eastern Railway, Kolkata, and Integral Coach Factory, Perambur, are to fall vacant from July 1.

Inquiries reveal that the panel of names for positions of GMs sent for approval has been returned by the appropriate authorities.

In other words, ad hocism, it appears, will continue.

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