No driving away ‘miracle cure’ ads

Posters of babas promising miracle cures for any and every problem are a common sight in local trains. These posters are illegal and cause huge losses to the Railways, which claims it is taking action against them. However, rail activists and passengers disagree. In a recent report, the Comptroller and Auditor General mentioned that on the Central Railway (CR), three contracts for display of advertisements in local trains had to be foreclosed as the railway administration could not provide a clear site for advertisements to the contractor due to unauthorised display of advertisements on the trains. Railways failed to prevent such displays resulting in loss of '0.73 crore, the report says. The report goes on to mention local trains in the Central and Western Railway (WR) and says, “the deficient record management and lack of vigilance indicates a clear risk of possible collusion between railway authorities and the illegal users/trespassers, resulting in unauthorised display of advertisement and leakage of revenue.” Members of the passengers’ amenity committee, who visited the five stations of WR on Tuesday, also noticed this menace and one member checked with a railway official whether these were given permission. On finding that they were illegal, the member asked the official to remove the posters. Shailendra Kumar, divisional railway manager (DRM) of the Mumbai division of WR, told The Asian Age, “Though Railways has always done its best to remove these illegal bills and posters, these have been cropping up unfortunately. Even members of passengers amenity committee also noticed it. Our administration will soon launch a massive drive to uproot this menace.” Meanwhile, rail activists blame the Railway Protection Force (RPF) for these bills and posters showing up inside local trains as they are pasted during the night itself, when the rake is parked in the carshed or stabling. “I have written so many letters to GM, DRM and security commissioner of the RPF, but nothing happened. On account of my experience, I can say that if the RPF officers show commitment, there won’t be a single poster in the coaches,” said rail activist Anees Khan, who has been following up on this issue with higher rail authorities. Mr Khan added, “This is strange but true that the RPF jawans are hand-in-glove with the boys who paste these posters in the yards. They take a hefty commission inside the yard and let them go.” According to the data, WR registered 14 cases per month in the year 2012 under Section 166 (B) of the Railways Act. This figure went up to 19 cases per month till August this year. CR registered 20 cases per month in the year 2012 and in the current year it registered 40 cases per month till August. However, on the ground things seem different. Pramila Kotian, a regular WR commuter, says, “I feel like tearing these posters and throw it in these Babas’ faces. But I want to ask the railway authorities what they are doing. Are they making these efforts only on paper Do they ever travel in the local trains ” The recently promulgated anti-black magic and superstition ordinance in the state even creates grounds for the Government Railway Police (GRP) to register an FIR against such babas promising miracle cures. However when contacted, a senior GRP officer said, on condition of anonymity, “Let the ordinance become a bill, we will do that (file FIR), but I fear what is the RPF doing now ” Atul Rane, chief public relations officer (PRO) of CR said, “Our department has been regularly conducting drives to remove these bills and posters. Additionally, we have been making announcements and appealing to commuters not to pay heed to these posters.” A senior official of CR said, “This matter concerns the commercial department too, which should file a civil suit in court.”