New Delhi: Faced with the necessity to cut costs, the Railways has decided to do away with a colonial-era practice of sending confidential documents through personal messengers. Such communication will now take place through video links, according to official instructions.
The personal messengers are usually picked from among peons. They are given the job of carrying files and documents of sensitive nature across the Railways’ network, i.e. from the Railway Board to its various departments, across its zones and divisions. This practice was started by the British and such messengers are known popularly as ‘dak messengers’.
Indian Express has reported officials as having said that the system became obsolete with the advent of emails and was instead given to rampant misuse. Dak messengers, these days, were mostly made to run personal errands.
“As a measure to reduce cost and improve savings on establishment related expenditure, the Board has desired that all discussions amongst officials of Railways PSU/Railway Board should invariably be held over video conferencing accordingly booking of personal messenger/Dak messenger should be stopped immediately.
“Compliance of the above should be ensured, as it would lead significant savings in allowances, stationery, Fax etc.,” the Railways’ order dated July 24 to the zones stated.
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It also advised the zones to control expenditure by reducing staff cost and rationalising staff. It also called for making staff members “perform multiple tasks.”
It further asked the zones to review contracts, reduce energy consumption and cut cost in administrative and other areas.
Earlier, the Railways had called for a freeze in the creation of new posts, rationalisation of manpower at workshops, shifting outsourced work to CSR, and moving ceremonial functions to digital platforms.
As part of the effort to make running the service viable, the Railways had, through last year, announced campaigns like ‘Give it up’ through which it attempted to inspire comparatively well-off passengers to pay between 26% and 71% more, depending on the ticket category, and give up their subsidy.
Last year, the Railways were running at losses of over Rs 42,000 crore in the passenger segment. Faced with mounting losses, it announced a fare hike at the start of the year.
The Railways also instructed that all file work be moved to the digital sphere and advised that all correspondence must be done through secure e-mails and asked them to reduce the use of stationery articles, cartridges and other items by at least 50%.
It asked the zones to review and close all uneconomic branches of the ministry.
(With PTI inputs)