CHENNAI : A day after Southern Railway withdrew its decision of suspending onboard housekeeping services in trains, its Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer (PCME) Shubhranshu has been transferred and posted as Chief Administrative Officer, Rail Wheel Plant, Bela, in Bihar.
When he was PCME of ICF, Shubhranshu played a crucial role in developing India’s first semi-high speed Train18 which was later introduced as Vande Bharat Express between New Delhi and Varanasi in February 2019. He was transferred to Southern Railway from ICF in February and the new role in Rail Wheel Plant is considered to be a punishment post.
Sources said the top official from the mechanical department was the one who first raised the issue of delay in distributing funds for several works including onboard housekeeping, toilet maintenance and linen cleaning. He allegedly wrote a letter to the Railway Board in June, seeking immediate release of funds.
As the delay in fund distribution affected the works, Shubhranshu wrote to the engineering departments of six divisions to suspend the OBHS services in 81 trains from September 1. He cited shortage of funds as reason for the decision.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Ministry of Railways agreed to sanction funds as a one-time measure to settle the pending dues of zonal railways. Followed by this, the railways also initiated works to clear pending bills to the tune of Rs 50 crore. Shubhranshu’s transfer came as a rude shock among a section of railway officials since officers of Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME) cadre have been transferred from their current posts only after spending minimum two years, said official sources.