Railway employee unions have raised serious concerns over alleged corruption in the allotment of newly-built staff quarters and the deplorable condition of older flats, urging the Ministry of Railways to intervene. These accusations highlight a critical challenge in ensuring equitable living standards for a vital segment of the urban workforce, underscoring the imperative for transparent governance in public housing initiatives that support sustainable city development.
The Indian Railway Signal and Telecom Maintainers Union (IRSTMU) formally addressed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, asserting that the functioning of housing committees responsible for staff residential facilities is “very opaque and unfair.” Allegations include the involvement of middlemen facilitating allotments for favoured individuals, leaving deserving and needy employees without official housing for months despite vacant flats. This alleged lack of transparency and fairness directly undermines the principles of equitable access to resources, a cornerstone of inclusive urban planning.
Further compounding the issue, the Indian Railway Employees Federation’s (IREF) National President, Akhilesh Pandey, has drawn attention to the pathetic state of many old railway quarters. These flats are reportedly in dire need of reconstruction or significant refurbishment, with staff often feeling unsafe in their dilapidated living conditions. Concerns have also been raised about funds allocated for maintenance allegedly being spent “in files only,” with newly-constructed quarters requiring repairs within a year or two, pointing to potential mismanagement and corruption that directly impacts the quality of life for railway families.
Union representatives have cited instances where “powerful departments” allegedly create exclusive pools of quarters for their employees, leading to flats remaining vacant while needy staff from other departments suffer. Prakash, General Secretary of IRSTMU, specifically mentioned Palanpur station in the Ahmedabad division, where Type-4 quarters are reportedly vacant but inaccessible to a Junior Engineer from the signal department due to such a ‘pool’ system. These practices not only create an unfair environment but also lead to inefficient utilisation of public assets.
To address these systemic issues, the unions have put forth concrete proposals. They advocate for the immediate implementation of an online platform for the allotment and availability of all railway quarters, coupled with a lottery system for newly-constructed flats to ensure fairness and eliminate controversies. Furthermore, they stress the urgent need to reconstruct all old-age railway quarters to meet contemporary standards and employee needs. Such reforms are crucial for fostering gender-neutral living conditions, ensuring dignity and safety for all railway personnel and their families, and ultimately contributing to the creation of more just and sustainable urban communities.
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