Multi-dept team to monitor Railway parcel handling at Central

The team comprising commercial clerks, ticket inspectors and RPF has taken control of the platforms and parcel office from Tuesday evening.Unlike in the past when entry into the platform was free for all, the team has placed barricades and restricted entry of agents and their representatives into the station, mainly the platforms.

It has been reliably learnt that about 18 cameras have already been fixed in the parcel offices, mainly the entry and exits of the parcel offices following the inspection conducted by divisional railway manager Navin Gulati a few days ago.

45 cameras to monitor parcel office

A senior railway officer privy to the arrangement said that another 28 cameras (totally 45) would be fixed at the parcel office to step up vigil and restrict private persons’ entry into the office.

Incidentally, the luggage scanner, which has been remaining defunct there for over a year now, was put to good use from Tuesday. The special drive of the team led by senior divisional commercial manager is expected to continue at least till the week end.

“Other than authorised loaders (of loading contractor) carrying ID cards, no one would be permitted to enter the platforms henceforth. They were overloading parcels by engaging their own staff to load parcels on trains. The restrictions will prevent agents from loading parcels themselves, which was the root cause of revenue loss,” a senior railway officer said.

Meanwhile, the five staff accused in the parcel theft case had got admitted in the railway hospital in Perambur to avoid appearing for departmental inquiry.