Chapter -5

Stint in Railway Electrification

Railway Electrification (RE) had its central office at Allahabad. Its Calcutta office was at 1, Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose road to look after electrification works of the Eastern railway & South Eastern railway. On request from this office the Chief Engineer/S.E.Rly agreed to spare one AEN for RE works on S.E.Rly and asked me to report to the Engineer-in-Chief (ENC) , RE, Calcutta for getting my first posting order. After an informal interview the ENC informed me of his intention to post me at Adra. It was the month of January 1965 when I took over charge of the post of Assistant Engineer (Railway Electrification), Adra from Sri Y Nageshwar Rao. My section (referred to as Group 23) covered Adra- Sudamdih section and the adjacent colliery lines. There was a motor trolley at my disposal, and I lost no time to learn its driving. My controlling officer was the executive engineer posted at Kharagpur. Dy Chief engineer (RE)/SE/Calcutta used to visit the site regularly. The Contractor was M/S SAE from Italy. My duty list included foundation for OHE (overhead equipment) masts & towers and their erection, staff quarters & service buildings. But since the post of Assistant Electrical Engineer (AEE) was lying vacant I was involved in further activities like installation of insulators, bracket assembly and the OHE wires. Galvanized masts for the work were received from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW). Even at one stage I had to visit this production unit when the supply of masts was getting delayed. Sri Jagdishwar Sahay who was then Dy Chief Mechanical Engineer at CLW was very happy to see me. He was known to me from my college days as he was a regular visitor to his in-laws house in my locality. He not only played host to me but also helped me in my mission.

I often came to Gomoh by a local train and after a few hours of wait proceeded by 17 UP (Sealdah-Pathankot express) to Gaya where father-in-law was posted as Station Master. In course of one such visit I decided to meet the local AEN during waiting period at Gomoh. I was delighted to find that the AEN was no one else than my senior and cricket companion at M.I.T. Muzaffarpur. Sri Shyam Nandan Jha was equally happy and accorded all hospitality to me. The solemn atmosphere at the office, the imposing bungalow with a sprawling lawn situated next to it and the smart trolleymen impressed me greatly. I complimented Sri S.N.Jha for being blessed with such a posting.

My next posting was as AEN (Railway Electrification)/Dangoaposi. It is a nondescript place in the Rajkharsawan- Gua branch line. My section (Group 23A) extended from Dangoaposi to Gua, Barbil, Bolani and Banspani. The Contractor was M/s Crompton Engineering Ltd from Madras.

I had at my disposal a motor trolley and a jeep. The Executive engineer was headquartered at Chaibasa. There was an AEN open line also posted at Dangoaposi station. The places of interest nearby included the poultry farms at Chaibasa and ‘Murga Mahadev’ Shiva temple near Noamundi. Dangoapsi was a small place but held an important position in transportation of iron ores by rail.

While I was in this post the casual workers had struck work demanding regular absorption in railway service. As the Administration was unmoved one day workers decided to prevent my entry into the office. The executive engineer/RE/Chaibasa (Sri A.K.Lahiri) was informed ,who arrived at Dangoaposi. First he tried to convince the workers that their demands had been referred to the Calcutta office and that the matter was receiving its attention. The workers were urged not to obstruct the entry to the office, but they were unmoved. Seeing the delicacy of the situation the local police was informed. After giving the strikers another warning we forced our entry into the office. About half a dozen workers who obstructed the entry were picked up by the police. It was a bitter experience in the early stage of my career.

I was sent for training in timber technology at the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun for a month in December 1966. Nestled in the lush Doon Valley and framed by the lower Himalayas, the FRI stands as a beacon of forestry research and botanical education in India. Lessons in timber trees, shady trees, ornamental trees, avenue-lining trees, annual rings in trees ,defects in timbers (sapwood, knots…) to be looked for while passing doors & windows, seasoning of timbers, afforestation and treatment of wooden sleepers were very useful. We also had a chance to witness the passing out parade of the army officers at the Indian Military Academy located close to the FRI. After completion of the course, we were taken to the forest rest house at ‘Muni ki Reti’, Rishikesh to see the use of timber in its construction. From there we proceeded by road to Delhi to receive our certificate from the National Building Organization.

For a short period, I worked as AEN/RE/KGP looking after the residual work of electrification of HWH-KGP section (Gr.14). Beginning the railway career outside my core area and learning about mast foundation, installation of towers, masts & portals, their earthing, bracket assembly, OHE, Elementary Section, Return conductor, Isolator, Sectioning Post, Sub-Sectioning Post & Feeding Post was a great experience. After serving for about two & a half years in the RE , I was transferred to the E. Railway. It was the fulfillment of my cherished dream. But when I reported to the E. Rly Headquarters at 17, Netaji Subhash road, Calcutta the Chief Engineer (Sri H.K.D. Kapoor ex ENC/RE, Allahabad) disappointed me by saying, ‘Sorry, Presently there is no vacant post. Either you proceed on leave or revert to the RE.’ Neither was acceptable to me. I implored to the CE that this order has come to me after great efforts and I must serve on the E. Rly in my family interest. The CE was finally convinced and decided to help me. Sri L.W.Tims (AEN/Line/Asansol) with whom CE was unhappy, was ordered to be sent on leave and myself posted in his place. I expressed my gratitude to the CE.