Stakeholders have flayed the composition of Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC) and also the proceedings on the grounds that the meetings follow a set-pattern of stock answers laced in railway lingo or jargon.
The DRUCC meetings are conducted every quarter but there is criticism that the committee is not adequately represented by all regions coming under the Mysuru division’s jurisdiction and hence the demands and aspirations of people in certain areas go unheard and unrepresented.
Yogendra, member of Mysore Grahakara Parishat and an activist advocating increase in passenger amenities and seeking better rail connectivity, said some of the DRUCC members have not been changed since many years. ‘’Though representation is given to chambers of commerce or industries, the same set of people tend to get nominated and there is no rotation’’, he said.
Besides, there is a lopsided representation of certain districts with undue emphasis on areas in and Mysuru while other areas in parts of central Karnataka region coming under the jurisdiction of Mysuru Divisional Railway, has not been adequately represented, according to the activists.
A section of the DRUCC members also pointed out that important issues raised in the meetings evoke a stock and ready-made answers and the matter gets buried. ‘’The officials either deflect the responsibility by stating that it does not come under the purview of the Mysuru Division or say that the matter has to be decided by the zonal office etc and the matter rests there’’, said Mr.Yogendra.
