After a tempestuous weekend Railway Minister Pawan Bansal put up a brave front by visiting Rail Bhawan on Monday.
The weekend saw him under attack after his nephew was arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation for allegedly accepting Rs 90 lakh bribe as part payment for a plum Railway Board post.
And though Congress stated that it will wait for CBI to complete its investigation before taking a decision, more parties joined the chorus seeking his resignation.
The Samajwadi Party, which has extended support to United Progressive Alliance (UPA), also demanded that Bansal should resign. Bansal avoided the media throughout the day.
And though trains carrying crores of people and millions of tonne of freight continue to run as usual, officials admit that the policy decision making process at the Railway Board is bound is slow down further.
Some of the railway projects that may be delayed include the two locomotive factories in Bihar. Though they have recently been approved by the Union Cabinet to be undertaken on a joint venture basis, but the tendering process requires involvement of Railway Board Members.
The Railway Board is the top most policy making body of Indian Railways, and comprises seven members.
At present, one post is vacant, one Member is under suspension, two have recently joined, and two including the Chairman and Financial Commissioner will retire in two months.
RAIL BHAWAN CALM
Meanwhile, while there were was a business-as-usual air at the Rail Bhawan, the unusually calm atmosphere was a clear give away of the underlying anxiety.
Most officials had clamped up, not wanting to discuss anything. “Just feel ashamed on the incident,” was all that many would say.
There were also rumours of the CBI noose widening to more Railway officials. Railway Board Member Mahesh Kumar, who has been arrested by CBI, has already been suspended.