Indiscriminate outsourcing plan of printing of books and forms used in the Railways

As you are aware, the Indian Railways is functioning round-the-clock seamless and 24X7 round-the-clock working is based on the established system. For systematic functioning, augmentation, being a fundamental need, as such every branch of Engineering and Technological Departments in the Railways, is devised with proper Codes and Manuals, so that, functioning of the Railways is as per laid down Codes and Manuals. Similar is the situation in dealing with the Establishment Matters, Finance and Health Services as well…..

D.O.No.AIRF/174 Dated: September 17, 2018

Dear Shri Pathak Ji,

Sub: Indiscriminate outsourcing plan of printing of books and forms used in the Railways

As you are aware, the Indian Railways is functioning round-the-clock seamless and 24X7 round-the-clock working is based on the established system. For systematic functioning, augmentation, being a fundamental need, as such every branch of Engineering and Technological Departments in the Railways, is devised with proper Codes and Manuals, so that, functioning of the Railways is as per laid down Codes and Manuals. Similar is the situation in dealing with the Establishment Matters, Finance and Health Services as well.

These Codes and Manuals laid down the standard operations and procedures need to be followed for safe and punctual running of trains along with maintenance and repairs of assets, bridges and rolling stock etc. For ensuring this, prescribed forms and books are prepared for documentation and continuation, for example, brake power on prescribed format in physical form is needed to certify every loco that is attached to a train in the system. Likewise, there are numerous prescribed forms and books which are being used by the Railways for day-to-day systematic functioning and movement of goods and passenger trains in order to cater to the requirement of these systematic forms and books.

The Railways since inception is having in-house printing presses to cater to the same. In order to cater to the need of pre-printed forms and books, Railway Printing Presses were distributed strategically in different parts of the Indian Railways for ensuring immediate and timely supply of printing materials.

With a view to provide prescribed and standardized forms and books, Railway Printing Presses were equipped with custom built plant and Railways needed based plant and off-set printing machines.

Unfortunately, without analyzing the background and probably owing to ill informed sources of information that Railway Printing Presses are printing ordinary registers and note-books, Railway Board have taken a decision to close down the well-established in-house printing presses which hitherto were printing prescribed forms and books by using custom built plan and off-set machines which are tailor made to print Railway specific standard prescribed pre-formatted forms and books.

It may also be appreciated that, custom built plant and Railway specific off-set machines are not readily available in the trade, as such, it cannot be expected that, Railway specific requirements cannot be met from open market as private entities may not be interested in transient orders of the Railways, as a result of which, Railways functioning, which is on documentation, is bound to suffer.

I would, therefore, request you to review the decision of the Railway Board, as aforesaid, of closing down the Railway Printing Presses in the light of the foregoing facts and these printing presses be allowed to continue printing of Railway specific materials, required for smooth and hassle-free train operations.

With Regards,

 

 

 

Shri V.P. Pathak,
Director General(RS),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Copy to: General Secretaries, all affiliated unions – for information.