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Being an officer posted in one of the new Zones, I would say that the skeptics about the formation of new zones have been proved wrong. At least from the perspective of S.E.C.Railway. I can list some observations about the experience of working in the new S.E.C.Railway zone, which differentiate the style of working in the old Zones.

1. We started off with very little staff and we are ensuring that the staffing pattern will be optimum and the sanctioned strength of all departments has been revised keeping in view the tasks which have been and can be computerized and those which can be outsourced. In Accounts, the sanctioned strength of HQ (including Stores & Traffic Accounts and their associated field staff) is not likely to exceed 300. We are right now operating at about 120 staff. Stores Accounts has almost been completely taken over from SER and about 40% of Traffic Accounts has also been taken over. This is completely contrary to the staffing pattern in old zones and still the Dy.CAO (G)s of the older Railways hold back, for months together, the release of some staff who have opted for transfer to new Zones. No offense, please!

2. As the number of staff and officers are few, the distance between the staff and officers has been reduced and there has been a considerable reduction in hierarchal barriers. They work together as a team and well beyond office hours, as and when required. The FA&CAO interacts with all officers every week and is familiar with the potential and problems of each one of them. He is also familiar with at least half the Section Officers.

3. There is not just a feeling of camaraderie within the Accounts Department but between all the other departments as well. The shortage of staff has meant that the officers have to put in a little more effort in doing their work and coordinate on their own. As far as Accounts Department is concerned, this has led to faster disposal of proposals and reduction in unnecessary paperwork.

4. The new zones (I can say that about SECR) are very conscious of the importance of time taken to dispose off the work allotted to each officer/staff. PCE/CR, who was our PCE earlier is, I believe, a trifle unhappy at the time taken to dispose proposals in his office over there when compared to the pace of disposal here. This is in a Railway which (supposedly) prides itself as being one of the best Railways with excellent systems in place.

5. After the formation of the new Zone, all the performance parameters of the Zone have gone up significantly. The loading of our Railway is at a record high and the PEI as well as the OR is the best and has been improving over the years. This has been possible due to the limited area of control which has ensured effective monitoring.

6. Due to the formation of the new Zone, greater attention is being given to staff amenities and even facilities to officers (in terms of availability of vehicles, telephones, computers etc.). Everyone says that the condition of the Bilaspur settlement has improved a great deal though a lot remains to be done - clearing of the backlog. Earlier, being a part of the huge S.E.Railway, Bilaspur and Nagpur divisions were at the fringes and received comparatively lesser attention.

Ananth
Sr.DFM/BSP

A small rejoinder on the issue of the GM's office and DRM/R's office not being in place as yet. The new GM's office is due for completion by December 2008. The then GM wanted a new design and then a consultant was hired and all this did take some time but the work is in full swing. Most of the Type-IV and Type-V quarters have been completed and occupied, while the rest will be completed by the end of this financial year.

As far as the office of DRM/Raipur is concerned, the office is likely to be completed by March 2008.

Ananth
Sr.DFM/BSP