Want a selfie with Rlys' divisional boss? Plant at least 10 trees, says internal note

Want a selfie with the Waltair division railway manager of the East Coast Railway zone? Just promise to plant 10 trees in a calendar year, says an internal note issued by the senior official’s secretariat.

However, railway employees with ”remarkable work” will be given preference while those with ”murky” background will be left out.

The note issued by the DRM’s secretariat last month says that often a large number of employees, their family members and unknown persons try to click pictures with the divisional railway manager (DRM), Waltair Division, during official functions and social occasions.

”Many a time the DRM obliges them as it may be somewhat rude to refuse. Antecedents of all such persons can’t be verified and persons with ulterior motives may try to misuse such pictures. Hence, the following guidelines are issued for the purpose,” the note said, listing out four pointers for potential selfie seekers to follow.

It said any railway employee who has done some remarkable work for the railways may be given preference in taking selfie with the DRM while influence peddlers, name-droppers and former employees with murky backgrounds of any denomination may be kept at a bay.

”Any non-employee (member of the general public) may also be allowed to do so if they promise to plant at least 10 trees during the calendar year and if they declare that there is no pending criminal case or no ulterior motive. Similarly staff with pending D&AR (discipline and appeal rules) cases may be advised to desist from clicking with the DRM,” it said. DRM is the senior-most officer in a division. He is in overall charge of day-to-day train operations, maintenance of track, locomotives, coaches, wagons, station buildings and other fixed assets within the jurisdiction of the division.

Waltair railway division, headquartered in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, is one of the three railway divisions under East Coast Railway zone. Each of the divisions is headed by a DRM, who reports to the General Manager (GM) of the zone.