CAG issues unsafe operation of 3.3 lakh wagons without NCO approval

According to a new report by the Controller and Auditor General of India, over 3.30 lakh repaired wagons were operated without NCO permission, compromising safety. Neutral Control Offices in workshops/yards are intended for impartial examination of repaired wagons or those that go through periodic overhauls before being handed over to the open line for operations. The Neutral Train Examiner inspects wagons repaired in workshops, hence an NCO permission is required (NTXR). Only those who have been medically cleared can be enlisted. Individuals who are determined to be faulty by NTXR are detained for additional examination. More than 3.30 lakh wagons constituting 41 per cent of total were passed locally (without NCO approval) after being repaired at workshops/terminal yards, compromising safety, the CAG report said. It further stated that an examination of FOIS (Freight Operations Information System) data from 2016-17 to 2020-21 found that the halt time was over half of the total journey time, and hence the average speed was nearly half of the average speed without the halt time. According to the study, Zonal Railways did not engage in the assessment of wagon requirements or send suggestions or rationale for their acquisition to the Railway Board, in violation of the codal regulations. In absence of any input from the zones, RB kept on changing requirement of wagons. Available wagon holding was more than the wagon requirement, as assessed in audit on the basis of wagon utilisation norm (NTKM), throughout the review period. Supply of wagons by wagon manufacturers was not commensurate with allotment of wagons made by the Railway Board and there were huge delays in supply. Rakes were cancelled by parties due to non-supply by the Railway administration resulting in loss of potential earnings, it said. The report also said that there were cases of rakes being held at designated loading and unloading points/terminal yards, resulting in lost wagon days and earning capacity. In around 69 per cent wagons abnormal delay was noted in connecting the unconnected wagons resulting in loss of earning capacity of wagons for the time taken for connecting those wagons. Moreover, assistance of FOIS was not taken in all zones for connecting those unconnected wagons, it said. The CAG also expressed concern about six tenders finalized by the Railway Board between 2016-17 and 2020-21, in which the cost of wheels and axles consumed and destroyed during testing was included in the total supplies made to the Railways rather than being supplied free of charge by the manufacturers. This was in contravention to the provisions of the standard specifications of RDSO and led to loss to the tune of Rs 5.88 crore. In another case, placing orders for a specification of the axle other than requirement of the end user resulted in procurement of additional 3,400 units of axles resulting into avoidable expenditure of Rs 18.01 crore, it said. See also: Railways strengthen supervision over wagons headed for BangladeshFive big companies bagged Railways order for wagons