Responsibility for the Balasore Tragedy

This is a part of the series on the Balasore triple-train tragedy. In the previous parts, we looked at the different technical aspects of the Indian Railways, the audit observations from the CAG report, which pointed out the areas that need significant improvements, and looked at the politics of the matter.

The Politics of the Balasore Tragedy

This is a part of the series on the Balasore triple-train tragedy. In the previous parts, we looked at the different technical aspects of the Indian Railways, as well as the audit observations from the CAG report, that are relevant to the context.

If you did not read the the previous parts, I suggest you do:

Operational Lapses in Indian Railways

This is a part of the series on the Balasore triple-train tragedy. In the previous part, we looked at the different technical aspects of the Indian Railways, that are relevant to the context. The part explains each of the terms you may come across when reading any story regarding the Balasore train tragedy.

Do you know Indian Trains

I have, like millions of Indians out there, been travelling long distances by the Indian Railways since infancy. And over these past three decades, I have read about tens of crashes including derailments. Even seen that odd wreckage during my train journeys.

What happened on the 2nd of June was terrible, and I cannot possibly express what I feel about it, in words. I turned to TV news for updates, thinking for once they could be useful. Boy, was I wrong. And then there were WhatsApp messages floating around, loaded with misinformation. Mr Modi and Mr Vaishnaw visiting the accident site only added to the noise, unfortunately.

Remote work

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020 and a country-wide lockdown was announced, we all went virtual. The hitherto exception became the norm.

Unable to cope with the “new normal”, we found the first weeks unsettling. A month or so later, we started to love it.

Two and a half years since, we now have people unwilling to come back to the office. What triggered this article was a discussion I had with a friend who had been to an event organised by the realtors in Bangalore. The afternoon session was about how to get people back to the office.

The Problem With Government Jobs

Happy 2022! May this year keep us all in a much better shape than the last two; in better health—physical, emotional and financial—better relationships, better work–life balance, better everything. (Holding your breath for the Budget, anybody?)

Of course, not all is rosy in the country at the moment. We are looking at elections in three states, with politicians going around being all nice, making promises, and trying hard to apply chalk to the blemishes on their images, and of course, defecting.