Rly officials not amused by Mamata's austerity

NEW DELHI: Railway minister Mamata Banerjee''s love for austerity was in full display at the New Delhi railway station on Thursday night. On her way to the bomb blast site near Jammu, she refused to travel in the ministerial saloon. A special train comprising two saloons was kept ready for the minister and senior officials accompanying her. A second-class ordinary coach was attached between the engine and the saloons.This is a safety precaution the railways take. The idea is to minimise the impact on the saloons if there is a collision. The minister chose to travel in this relatively unsafe ``safety coach'''', causing some embarrassing moments for the officials in attendance. However, the Northern Railway general manager, who was the seniormost official accompanying her, travelled in his saloon. Railway officials say they travel in saloons because a tiresome journey in a common coach will dissipate their energy, especially if they have to handle a crisis situation like a bomb blast. Besides, saloons are needed for technical inspection jobs, they argue. The minister could not be contacted for her comments as she was still to return from Jammu. Banerjee''s simplicity, however, does not seem to have affected her two junior ministers -- Digvijay Singh and Bangaru Laxman. They do not travel without saloons, sources say. On Railway Board members there has been some impact, though. Questioned by her as to why they should fly executive class, they have come down to the economy class, sources said. Banerjee''s insistence on austerity has sparked a debate in the railways. Officials concede that the symbolic value of her austere lifestyle cannot be overlooked especially with so many ministers and chief ministers living like maharajas at the cost of the public exchequer. However, they point out that her populist decisions will cost the railways several hundred times more than the symbolic austerity will save. Her recent decision to grant a huge concession to suburban travellers is expected to cost the railways between Rs 500 crore and Rs 800 crore a year. Anybody who can procure a letter from an MP or an MLA certifying that his monthly income is less than Rs 400, can buy a monthly season ticket for Rs 15; the normal rates are Rs 150 to Rs 200. ``This will certainly increase the minister''s popularity among voters, but such measures are bound to bleed the railways,'''' says a senior official, requesting anonymity. He cites several economically unviable projects being revived or initiated by the minister. Officials also point out that Banerjee and her two junior ministers have kept on their personal staff, all at a huge cost to the railways, as many as 125 people, which is far in excess of the norms set by the ministry of personnel. The three ministers together have 20 Group A officers (norm 14), 66 group B and C officers (norm 14) and 39 group D employees (norm 14). The average annual expenditure is Rs 5 lakh on a Group A officer, Rs 4 lakh on a Group B officer, Rs 1.5 lakh on a Group C employee and Rs 1 lakh on a Group D employee.