Modi Government is risking India’s security by telling army to rebuild Elphinstone bridge Daily O 01 Nov 17
Since the announcement by the defence and railway ministers on the army being tasked to construct the Foot Over Bridges (FOB) at Elphinstone railway station in Mumbai and two other places, there has been a flurry of criticism for the government’s decision. The Elphinstone FOB, is being constructed where a recent stampede claimed over twenty-three lives and left scores injured. As usual, the army would never fail the local Mumbaikar and ensure the FOB is completed before time and of the correct quality and specifications. There are always different views when the army is allocated tasks, which do not fall in its immediate charter.
The army aid to civil authority rules, laid down in 1970, has a section stating that it can be employed for other miscellaneous tasks, apart from emergencies. Thus, legally there is nothing wrong in this task being given. However, the same rules state that the army is the instrument of last resort. This rule has been regularly flouted by this government, whether it be Haryana, Sri Sri event, clearing garbage or the Mumbai FOB.
Whether the concurrence of the army hierarchy was obtained, the impact on employment of scarce army resources evaluated or the army was directed, would always remain a matter of conjecture. Amarinder Singh, the Punjab Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, along with multitude of veterans have criticized the government action, quoting incidents of 1962 where moving the army away from its primary tasks proved to be a blunder.
Nehru had tasked the army for construction of accommodation in Ambala. 4 Infantry Division was involved in this task, ignoring their training. General Kaul, the favourite of Nehru had approved the task, while the army chief has objected. The formation was, post the Chinese aggression, rushed into operations, unprepared and untrained. It suffered heavy casualties. However, 2017 and 1962 are completely different. The army has changed, its deployment along the border is all the year round and it remains well prepared, as Doklam proved. Hence this comparison holds no ground.
This is not the first time when the army has been so tasked in recent times. It was tasked for constructing a near similar structure during the Commonwealth Games, when a structure constructed by the civil agencies collapsed. It completed the task in four days. There have been no reports of whether anyone was taken to task for the failure on the part of the civil administration or the issue was brushed under the carpet. It was a national face-saving task, as the games were days away, and the army proved its mettle. It has traditionally been constructing Pontoons bridges for the Khumb and Ardh Khumb Mela’s in Allahabad. However, the frequency of its employment has increased with the present government.
It had constructed a Pontoon bridge for the Sri Sri mega event on the Yamuna flood plains in 2016, as also a Bailey bridge in Kerala this year, once the state realized that the PWD would take time to repair the existing damaged bridge. In recent days, the defence minister had directed the army to clear garbage left behind by tourists in remote areas. While the army completes all its assigned tasks, without a murmur, as per tradition, questions are being raised on the present case. There are many unanswered question, clarification of which, from relevant authorities, would complete the picture.
The responsibility of constructing a new FOB, as per the rules, remains that of the railways and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). They compulsorily need to follow government norms of tendering, which takes time. The FOB was sanctioned two years ago, the tendering had still not been completed. Thus, instead of pulling up those responsible, the government adopted the easiest route, task the army. Further, it appears that there is lack of faith on the ability of the railways and BMC to deliver, despite the railways having its own engineers and engineering colleges dedicated to bridging. The new railway minister, possibly considering the political importance of Maharashtra, along with the defence minister adopted the easiest solution.
This action has side lined the railways, who maintained silence as any future accident or incident on these bridges would absolve them. The army would never let them supervise, post obtaining the basic requirements and specifications. However, what has been ignored is that this decision has proved that government organizations, including large elephants like the railways, are incapable of performing their own tasks. An ideal option should have been tasking a contractor and the army being nominated to oversee, which it has done before and ensured quality.
Secondly is the aspect of cost and stores. The army would employ its own resources, meant for operations, which would permanently remain with the railways and the state. It already has immense shortfall of bridging equipment, which would only increase. It would now need to spend reams of papers over the years, seeking to justify to the CAG on why army resources are with the railways, payment for which has not been made.
For the army, it is another task, which it would do to the best of its ability, ensuring delivery on time, with quality. However, this task would involve immense manpower, as the stores need to be shifted and construction i labours intensive. This manpower would be diverted from its primary task and training, to fulfil the responsibilities which others failed to complete.
The government spokespersons during discussions in various forums have stated that there is nothing wrong in the army being tasked, as it remains the army of the nation, for the nation, by the nation. While this is true, however, why is it that the army is considered a national asset by this government only when tasking it on behalf of other agencies or for gaining political mileage, but ignored when it comes to their rightful dues.
The military has been regularly degraded and denied their rights, whether it be equivalence, OROP or Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU). In equivalence it is considered even below state police forces, to whose rescue it comes as soon as riots commence. The Prime Minister makes promises with one hand, while his own government and ministers break them with the other. Veterans are manhandled, pushed aside, denied a hearing, the voice of the serving are silenced and their basic rights including rations are withdrawn, even without a second thought. Yet when the government finds itself in a fix, it is only the army to whom it rushes, to bail it out.
If the decision to construct the FOB has been taken keeping the welfare of the local Mumbaikar in mind, then all opposing would support it. However, the reality is that the decision has been taken keeping political factors in mind, since the BJP is on the wane in the state and desperately seeks a face saving. Thus, the army is being used for political ends, which would only harm the institution and the nation in the years ahead. It is setting a wrong trend which would grow, moving the army away from its primary task for the flimsiest of reasons. The government is risking national security for votes, a desperation which it should avoid.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army