CHENNAI: Two weeks after a Tamil magazine exposed malpractice involving unauthorised booking agents, RPF and commercial staff in parcel booking at the Central Railway Station, the Chennai division of Southern Railway has reshuffled the booking staff in the Central station and a few other stations.
Based on the recommendation of Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, divisional personal department has issued orders transferring six commercial supervisors and five chief commercial clerks, including four from the Central Station, to other stations with immediate effect.
According to sources, the issue began when a prominent Tamil magazine booked a parcel on Chennai - Ernakulam parcel train to its Coimbatore and Erode offices. However, the magazine offices did not receive the consignment the next day. When the media staff visited the Central Station, they found the magazines lying strewn across the platform.
Acting on a complaint lodged by the media house, the department conducted an inquiry during which it came to light that 30 minutes before the train’s departure, an unauthorised agent had broken open the parcel van, unloaded the magazine consignment and loaded a fish box. The magazines, which were taken out of the parcel van, were thrown on the platform.
The agent had allegedly carried out the changes in presence of RPF personnel and parcel booking staff.
As per railway manual, parcel goods, once sealed in the presence of RPF personnel and commercial clerks, should not broken or opened. The RPF should be informed through a memo about the contents of the parcel.
“While parcel booking normally stops hours before the departure of trains, it is not clear how the parcel was booked without the knowledge of the commercial staff,” an official said. The GRP arrested the unauthorised agent and remanded him to judicial custody. Two railway staffers, who were initially placed under suspension, are said to have been reinstated following the intervention of a railway employees union.