New Delhi: With the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) raising concerns pertaining to delays in several key projects, the Railway Ministry last week gave the PMO access to e-Drishti through which it can directly monitor all the railway projects.
e-Drishti is the Project Managing System of the railways through which all the projects of the railways are monitored by the ministry.
A source in the ministry said that the railways board had notified all divisional railway managers (DRMs) and general managers (GMs) last week, saying: “We have created an account for e-Drishti for PMO and will be handing over login details to PMO. Thereafter, PMO can access all data fed in e-Drishti (especially data regarding projects fed in Indian Railway Project Sanctions and Management).”
The communication comes after the PMO raised concerns and intervened in certain ongoing projects of the railways such as the delays in the completion of the Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC), station development, electrification, the Bullet train project, and signalling project, among others.
ThePrint reached ministry spokesperson D.J. Narain for a comment on the matter through WhatsApp messages and phone calls, but didn’t receive a response until the time of publishing this report.
ThePrint also reached the PMO spokesperson, Ravi Rama Krishna, for a comment through a WhatsApp message and call, but is yet to receive a response.
Recently, the railways cited sluggish work by contractors, along with the law and order situation at some places and slow progress in land acquisition by states as reasons for delay in the ambitious DFC project after the PMO raised concerns.
“There have been several instances where the PMO has raised concerns regarding the costing, timeline, etc. of projects. Earlier, it was the railway minister and CRB (chairman of railway board), who monitored projects through e-Drishti … But now, the PMO will also do it directly,” said a senior ministry official.
DRMs, GMs to constantly update project details
With the PMO now set to directly monitor all railway projects, the DRMs and GMs have been asked to check the project details personally, and have them updated regularly.
They have also been asked to make an officer responsible for checking the data related to projects on a continuous basis.
According to ministry sources, the railways will also have to frequently update the details of land acquisition and environmental clearances for different projects on e-Drishti.
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