An Excellent Example Of Creeping System Failure - Pakistani Railroads

[hatrack]

EDIT

PR is a classic example where workshops have turned into junkyards. Unscrupulous staff has already sold the infrastructural assets in the name of scrap. Huge pieces of wood, once used in laying down the tracks, were extensively misused by the employees as fuel for their stoves. Defective signal system has proved to be a major irritant, as it upsets train schedules. It has been found that short-circuiting of signals due to inclement weather, moisture and dust causes undue delays, as signals cease to operate once rainwater floods in and trains are operated through manually.

Total strength of railways' employees is about to touch 100,000 mark, but the number of non-technical staff is much greater than technical staff. Especially, the lack of staff at the signals department and issues faced by them in their day-to-day functioning has resulted in accidents in the past.

There is a general impression that many regular PR employees are performing their duties somewhere else while drawing their monthly salaries the railways. Similarly, majority of lower cadre staff work at the residences of high-profile officers at the cost of the department.

The ministry has initiated the project of turning PR into an autonomous corporation, a step towards the privatization of the organisation. But the idea, it seems, has been delayed after the bitter experiences of the PTCL and the KESC.There is a need to replace the outdated infrastructure on urgent basis to restore public confidence in PR. The salary package of lower staff should be revised so that they can meet their expenses. There should be a well educated staff so that they can put it back on track.

EDIT/END

http://thepost.com.pk/ShortNewsT.aspx?shortid=4654&catid=2

[pscot]

1. Creeping system failure is what we face

on a global scale. The stress on all our systems is unrelenting, and it is gradually increasing. Models based on physical structures suggest we may be approaching catastrophic system failue.