Prateek Chauhan. Raipur. In Raipur Railway Division, the railway has vacated the room of the Public Relations Department and thrown them out to enlarge the chamber of the Senior DCM. Now the situation in the DRM office is such that if journalists go to meet the officers of the Public Relations Department, there is no arrangement for them to sit there. The railway has done all this only so that they can enlarge the chamber of the Senior DCM there.
When the team of Lalluram.com reached the DRM office on 6th June at 9.29 am, it was found that the tender cell (confidential branch) which was next to the Senior DCM’s chamber has been shifted to the Public Relations Department. However, according to the Senior DCM, nothing like this has happened. He did not say anything clearly about why the tender cell has been vacated and which room will be allotted to the Public Relations Department. He said that any shifting and vacating of rooms in the railway office is not related to the public. Therefore, this should not be made a big issue.
what the journalists say
The condition of railways is deteriorating and the common passenger is troubled. Only the media can raise some questions in this matter. Only the media can bring the problems of the public to the fore. In such a situation, this will be seen as an attempt to keep the media away from the railways. This kind of tendency to keep distance from the media in a public area is not a healthy situation.
Ruchir Garg, senior journalist
Railways has created a Public Relations Department to directly communicate with journalists. Probably for this reason, for years, chambers were allotted to the Public Relations Department officials in the DRM office where communication between the railway publicity inspector and journalists took place, which will not be possible now. Senior railway officials need to pay attention to this.
Manoj Baghel, Editorial Director News 24/Lalluram.com
If the new system is necessary for railway officers then there should be some alternative arrangement for the public relations department.
Rajesh Joshi, Editor, Navbharat
When the space for dialogue is shrinking completely, it is not right to end the space at such a time. Many times dialogue between the public relations officer and the journalist on various issues proves to be a solution. Now this lack of dialogue will create problems in terms of news.
Alok Putul, Journalist, BBC
The railway has created a public relations department to convey the railway’s message to the public. Now if a journalist goes to the DRM office, where will he sit? And whom will he talk to? If he roams around the whole setup, the railway officials themselves will object. In such a situation, the railway officials should consider the old system.
Awadhesh Mallick, senior journalist
If there is a system already in place for journalists, why is it being spoiled and why is it being abolished? In this regard, a group of all the members of the Press Club will meet the DRM and request him to restart this system.
Prafull Thakur, Raipur Press Club President