Ref: NUR-C/RTN/20-21 14/05/2020
To
The Member (O),
Postal Services
Board,
Dak Bhwan,
New Delhi 110001.
Sub: To consider consultation of
service unions while expanding the scope of RTN - reg
My union has learnt that a communication dated
04/05/2020 addressed to all the Heads of circles has been sent regarding
floating of tenders to hire vehicles for operating a RTN service on contractual
basis along with required action to be taken by circles in said letter. It gives
a very clear impression that Department of Posts has decided to replace the
existing rail mode of transmitting mails through the Road Transport Network. It
is nothing but a onslaught against the well established Railway Mail Service
after abolition of Sorting Sections done in early 1980s. There can be no second
opinion on the objective to transmit mails faster and quicker with the fastest
mode. With that intent in mind the service unions did not precipitate the issue
of operating RTN on experimental basis. Such a policy shift issue should have been
given a careful thought duly considering the criticalities such as returns
secured by department on the funds allotted so far by the Directorate to
circles under the model Road Transport Development Network, the internal rate
of return achieved so far circle-wise, the average parcels/mails load that have
been handled by each such route where RTN was deployed. The economics of scale
achieved on account of Engaging CMMS under RTN have to be quantified so that we
could have better lessons before us on gaps and failures. It has been stated in
the letter circle should work towards making All India RTN for transporting
mail by August 15th, 2020. We as an association are not totally blind to the
new ideas but all what we wanted to record is that a measured approach is
essential at this very critical juncture where the COVID19 has not spared any
of global economies and more particularly India cannot afford to invest in non
prudential areas where the returns are grossly negative. The misconception
about need for reliving ourselves from dependence on railways is highly
condemnable. To substantiate Department of Posts has majorly relied upon
private air carriers and Special Cargo Express Trains to transmit the postal
mail at the crucial lock down period. Though RTN also helped to a extant the
utilization of Special Cargo Express Trains would amply demonstrate that its
services could not be ignored.
2. My
union has expressed serious reservations on earlier attempts of department
while implementing many of unworkable projects. To mention a few, owning independent
cargo freighter for carrying mails, introduction of Express Parcel etc were
uncalled for. Our Suggestions were thrown in air. After incurring huge loss to
government exchequer such services were withdrawn. Carrying out risky
experiments at the cost of public exchequer and abandoning such projects by
successive administrations at later stage establishes the lethargic attitude of
murdering one’s own conscience.
3. At
this back drop on behalf of my union I would like to record the following for
consideration before carrying forward the expansion plan of RTN.
4. The
core objectives of the department is to deal with collection, processing and
delivering mails. The secondary allied activity of transmission cannot be
undertaken as a primary activity which would increase the cost of operations
manifold to the department. Dependence on railways should be treated as self
supporting by two arms of a government which should aim to reap the synergies
between the departments rather than aiding the private players. There should be a concept paper elaborating
the need for substituting the rail network by RTN, internal rate of return on
huge investment in procuring vehicles and spending in hiring of vehicles more
particularly at the critical time of economic downturn where the saving every
penny is priority of government due to which the DA of the government employees
itself has been frozen. So any plan for
investment/spending should have prudent returns to the government.
5. Not feasible for intra Circle:- Given the scope of traffic congestion due to
increased vehicle movements the running
of RTN within the circle will consume
more running hours resulting in late arrival/belated connection of mails at
ICH/NSH/L1/L2. Whereas at present the present sections operate within the
targeted time bound running time.
6. For inter Circle: - The RTN between neighboring circles would
also hit the road block as it has to be operated only after 20.00 Hrs ( after
receipt of PO Mails). The running time will be more than or at least (10) Hrs
say between Vijayawada- Chennai or Bangalore to New Delhi. The mails will reach
the destination only in the morning. As such given the failure of second
delivery any mail failed to be processed in night would suffer one day
detention and delay. As such RTN at this corridor also would be fragile.
7. In case of Sections where the mails for
the intermediary L1/L2/ICH/NSH/PH can be segregated, collected, and offloaded
whereas such added advantages cannot be expected in RTN. Bulk loading and
stoppage at very few select locations alone is feasible.
8. Huge investment in procuring new Vehicles
besides projection of recurring costs to MoF, Shortage of drivers in MMS across
the country is another cause of road block.
9. Hiring contractual vehicles for select
routes without justified load result in drain to the government exchequer
especially at times of this economic turmoil caused by COVID19. The payments to
railways rather on other hand would anyhow ensure that money gets swapped
within two pockets of the same government coffers.
The above are only a very a few apprehensions. There
are lot more. Accordingly, my union suggest that the Department should also
engage the service unions in the consultative process where we can discuss the
strengths and weakness of the proposal thread bare so that the blunders
committed in the past are not repeated. History could have forgotten the
earlier blunders but the nation cannot afford a repeat further more of such
ill-conceived projects. With a belief
that due attention will be given to the contents of this letter and service
unions and all stake holders would be consulted before further going ahead on
said expansion plan.
Yours Sincerely,
N.K
Tyagi.
General Secretary