The South Western Railway operated a prepare with lower than 2 per cent occupancy for six years, leading to a lack of Rs 17.47 crore, in keeping with a Comptroller and Auditor Common of India report.
The prepare (12691/12692) was run between Bengaluru and Sri Satya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam stations from April 2017 to March 2023, stated the CAG report tabled in Parliament on Monday.
The total report contained 25 audit findings from numerous railway zones throughout the nation, mentioning circumstances of undercharges or overpayments of Rs 543.17 crore.
One of many findings of the working division of Bengaluru Division, which comes below the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, prompt that each the zonal headquarters and the Railway Ministry didn’t take any corrective measures regardless of being conscious of the poor occupancy.
The report stated that the Railway Ministry’s prescribed standards acknowledged that if the incomes potential (each reserved and unreserved lodging) was under 30 per cent on common for the entire yr in each instructions, the Zonal Railways can shortlist such trains for cancellation and ahead the proposal to the Railway Board for last choice.
In accordance with the audit, the stated prepare operated between Chennai Central (MAS) station and Sri Satya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam (SSPN) station by way of KSR Bengaluru (SBC) station and it acquired poor patronage between SBC station and SSPN station in each instructions.
The rail division submitted a proposal to its headquarters with numerous ideas akin to terminating the prepare at an intermediate station as a substitute of operating it as much as the unique vacation spot station, diversions, and so on to enhance the occupancy. Nonetheless, not one of the above proposals was carried out, the report stated.
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“Audit additional examined the occupancy of the prepare between SSPN station and SBC station (backward and forward) for the interval from April 2017 to March 2023 and it was noticed that the occupancy of the prepare all through the above interval was lower than 2 per cent,” it stated.
It added, “The operational value of the prepare was big, and the loss on account of operating the prepare between these stations was to the tune of Rs 17.47 crore throughout this era.” The audit recorded the assertion of the zonal headquarters, which acknowledged that because the above prepare was time-tabled, it wanted the Railway Ministry’s approval for its termination.
It additional stated that the proposal for terminating the prepare at Bengaluru Cantt (BNC) station was despatched to the Railway Ministry in June 2022, awaiting approval.
“The reply of Zonal Railway Administration signifies a collective failure. It exhibits that though the issue was highlighted by the SBC Division in December 2016 however the Zonal Railway Administration introduced this problem to the discover of MoR (Ministry of Railways) solely after six years,” the audit stated.
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“Additional, even after a lapse of over one yr after submission of the proposal by the Zonal Railway, a last choice on the identical is but to be taken by MoR.” The audit report has additionally recorded that the matter was referred to MoR in February 2024, however no reply was acquired until July 2024.
“Ministry of Railways ought to assessment the operation of the prepare in mild of the ideas made by SBC Division and SWR Zone and take an applicable choice,” the CAG beneficial.
“The delay on the a part of the Zonal Railway in bringing the problem to the discover of MoR could also be examined and accountability fastened,” it added.