Beware of Wagongunya

About ‘Wagongunya’

It is a strange disease that afflicts the Railway revenues. The virus causing = this disease enters the arteries of Rly system at the loading points through one= of its vital organs namely wagons.

Each type of wagons has a Permitted Carrying Capacity for each commodity. Earlie= r, the wagons would have a lot of extra capacity (empty space) left even after being loaded to the PCC. This proved a boon for unscrupulous elements for overloading. Though a lot of money changed hands for the quantity loaded in excess of the PCC, nothing of this would reach the Rly kitty.

This is known to be a deadly disease and if it had not been detected and treated= in time, it could have crippled IR.

Symptoms

Loss of level (headednes= s)

In most of the cases, the top surface of t= he commodity inside the wagon would have an irregular level.=

Diagnosis.

Due to the very nature of the symptoms, the disease is not susceptible of diagnosis by visu= al observation. Actual weighment is the only conclusive test.

Conducive conditions

Though a genetic disorder (actual space in the wagons can accommodate many more to= nnes over and above the PCC) is primarily responsible for this condition, the vi= rus thrives in climates where greed content is present in the air and corruptio= n is moderate to high. Prevalence is high when the commodity loaded is such that= a lot of space is left empty in the wagon even after it is loaded to PCC.

Occurrence in living beings

A disease similar to Wagongunya is found among cows. C= ows fall ill if not milked fully.

Treatment –CC+ 6 / 8

As you know, it is very difficult to treat a viral disease especially when the= re is a genetic disorder to help it. Until recently, the treatment was symptom= atic with occasional surprise checks and a mild dose of punitive action. But we = can take heart. The men at the helm of affairs at RB have recently invented a vaccine called CC+ 6 or 8 .It is a magic drug that helps cure Wagongunya an= d, thereby, the Rly system of its chronic disease of not making enough profit --despite being otherwise fit & having adequate capacity.

Prescription

Just like in the case of cows, milk the wagons fully.

Permit the wagons to be loaded with six / eight tonnes more than the (Permitted) Carrying Capacity.

About the drug

Mechanism of ac= tion .

Wagons were getting loaded beyond PCC anyway. Permitting the wagons to be loaded w= ith additional 6/ 8 tonnes virtually immunizes them from overloading by leaving= no extra space.

With this, money for extra 6 / 8 tonnes does come to Rlys.

Dosage

CC + 6 for inferior grade fuel when loaded in wagons of the types BOXN, BCN etc

CC+8 for ores, gypsum, dolomite etc when loaded in BOXN wagons.

In very severe cases, an additional dosage of 2 tonnes can be administered but along with it a bitter pill will have to be taken by the customer in the fo= rm of penal charges.

Efficacy

Action and relief are immediate. Administration of CC+6 / 8 during 2005-06 has hel= ped the Rlys to be hale and hearty again with a rec= ord surplus of Rs 11000 crs

Contra indications

Not to be applied in routes where the track is not physically fit enough and in= the type of wagons which have an inherently weak body.

Side effects

No major adverse side effects have been reported.

Over dosage

Can result in derailments, premature condemnation of rolling stock & track.=

Expiry

It may not expire as long as those at the helm of affairs at the Rly Ministry continue in power/till adverse effects crop up and attain critical mass.

Caution

Impact of long-term use of this drug on the health of wagons and track and hence, = on the financial health is yet to be clinically tested by time. However, pessimists apprehend that regular and long use is likely to induce osteopor= osis in the rails (excessive wear and tear), arthritis (shattered Points and Crossings ) and paralysis (debilitated wagons).

Shaju A Francis, AFA/HQ, SWR, Hubli

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