LDCE QUESTIONS 2008

LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
11TH JUNE 2008
PAPER I

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE & ENGLISH, OFFICIAL LANGUAGE POLICY: GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE RAILWAYS. BOOKS AND BUDGET INCLUDING TRAFFIC BOOK

Important this paper contains two sections – A B & C both sections have to be answered section A carries 50 marks and section B carries 100 marks
SECTION A (MAX MARKS-50)
1. Write short notes on any two of the following (10 marks)
a) Narmada Bachao
b) VAT
c) Organ Transplant
d) Right to Information Act
2. Expand the following abbreviations ( 5 marks – ½ marks each)
a) LPG
b)CAT
c)PAC
d)SPV
e)ONGC
f) UPSC
g)SPCA
h) PERT
g) IMF
h) IRCTC
3. Explain the concept of Raj Bhasha how it is implemented in your office (Please restrict your note to 250 words) 5 marks
4. Name the authors of the following books ( 5 marks)
a) God of Small Things
b) Malgudi Days
c) As You Like It
D) My Experiments With Truth
E) Arthashastra
F) Who Moved My Cheese
G) Anand Math
H) The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
I) Discovery of India
J) Harry Potter and Order Of Phoenix
5. Fill in the blanks (5 marks)
a) Veni ______ vicci
b) A Stitch in time _____________ ____________
c) Ignorance is _____________
d) Rise and Fall of _________ __________
e) Few and ________ between
f) I came, I saw and I __________
g) Jai Jawan Jai ____________
h) A thing of ________ is a joy forever
i) if they don’t have bread let them ear ____________
j) a ___________ measures earthquake

6. Briefly explain the difference between the following (10 marks)
a) Fundamental rights and directive principles
b) bonafide and malafide
c) BOLT & BOT
d) Limited tender an d open tender
e) Concurrence and sanction
7. The following personalities have been newsworthy. Briefly state the reason ( 10 marks)
a) E Sreedharan
b) INDIRA Nooyi
c) Barack Obama
d) J K Rowling
e) Sunita Williams
f) Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
g) Dalai Lama
h) Ratan Tata
i) Asif Ali Sardari
j) Hillary Clinton

SECTION B MAX MARKS 100
This section contains two parts A & B Attempt four questions taking any two from each
All questions carry equal marks of 25 each
1. What is the need for separate audit by representatives of comptroller and auditor general with effective internal auditing within the system, can c& AG Audit can be dispensed with discuss in detail giving pros and cons.
2. Write short notes on any five
a) Konkan Railway Corporation
b) Canons of Financial Propriety
c) Delegation of powers
d) reappropriations
e) Charged and voted expenditure
f) Railway Board
g) Dedicated freight corridor

3. In the present set up of Indian railways what are the different “FUNDS” In brief describe the nature of each fund and their operation. Briefly discuss “CAPITAL FUNDS”

4. How is the “operating ratio” calculated? What the limitations of this ratio in assessing the financial viability of the railway. What are your suggestions to bring down the operating ratio of Southern Railway?

5. “Railway finances were separated fro general finances primarily to secure stability for civil estimates by providing for an assured contribution from railway revenues and also to introduce flexibility in the administration of railway finances, is this concept still relevant today. Discuss relative advantages and disadvantages.

PART B

1. What is the purpose of “accounts office balance sheet. Briefly indicate the nature of debit and credit entries. What action would be taken for realisation of old outstanding?

2. Write short notes on any five
a) Zero based budgeting
b) Suspense heads
c) Apportionment of earnings
d) M & P Programme
e) Approximate account current
f) Railway Act
3. What is “appropriation accounts” annexure J is an index of the efficiency of the accounts department. Discuss how we can on southern railway minimise the number of instances brought under annexure J
4. In the existing systems, the closure of accounts take considerable time. Even then the booked expenditure do not reflect the actual and correct picture. Critically examine the procedure of monthly, quarterly and annual closing and give your suggestions for improving the existing system. Also indicates whether approximate account current should continue
5. “Traditional Budgeting is functionally oriented and accounting oriented but not result oriented. Zero based budgeting is an improvement over traditional budgeting” dicusss this statement in detail in the context Indian railways and also explain how zero based budget can be applied for revenue budget (i.e. working expenses).




















LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
12TH JUNE 2008
PAPER II
TOTAL SIX QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED – TWO FROM PART I AND TWO FROM PART II AND TWO FROM EITHER PART III A OR III B ALL QUESTIONS CARRY EQUAL MARKS

PART I
FINANCIAL JUSTIFICATION FOR EXPENDITURE and TRAFFIC COSTING (MAX MARKS 50) ATTEMPT ANY TWO OUT OF QUESTIONS 1 TO 4

1 In the context of railway operations, explain the cost of joint costs. What is the basis on which such costs are apportioned among various services?
2. Write short notes on any five (maxi marks 5 each)
a.) Uneconomic Branch Lines
b.) Out of Turn Works
C) Special Limited Tenders
D) Throughput Enhanced Works
E) Terminal Charges
F) Orange Book and Pink Book
G) Specific Fuel Consumption

3. What is meant by productivity test and how it is applied to new projects? Do they serve the purpose as intended?
4. Highlight the importance of Sensitivity Analysis in evaluating investment proposals. How would you apply this to a proposal for a new line project?

PART II
MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING (MAX MARKS 50) ANSWER ANY TWO QUESTIONS OUT OF QUESTIONS 5 TO 8

5. Define Break Even Analysis how it is calculated and what are the uses of Break-Even Analysis as a management tool
6. Write short notes on any five:
a) Management Audit
B) Profit Volume Ratio
C) Wagon Turn Around
D) Variance Analysis
E) Net Tonne Kilometres
F) Standard Costing
7. What is meant by financial ratios illustrate any two ratios can operating ratio be taken as a financial ratio give reasons
8. Discuss in detail the concept of performance of budgeting and its application in railway working

PART III MAX MARKS 50
Important answer any two out of questions 9 to 12 or any two out of questions 13 to 16

PART III A
9. What is meant by apportionment of earnings how is it done in respect of goods earnings of through traffic?
10. What is traffic suspense what are the items that constitute traffic suspense give your suggestions to reduce traffic suspense on Southern Railway?
11. Write short notes on any five
a) Leave Not Due
B) Staff Benefit Fund
C) Foreign Service Contribution
D) Supernumerary Post
E) Ex Gratia Payment
F) Special Casual Leave
12. (a) Briefly describe the organisational set up of the statistical department
And
(b) Define the following
i. Engine Hours
ii. Gross Tonne Kilometres
iii. Route Kilometres
iv. Occupation Ratio

PART III B
WORKSHOP STORES ACCOUNTS AND GENERAL EXPENDITURE
13. discuss how the POH of a Locomotive is worked out and explain how direct and indirect costs are taken into accounts
14. (a) what is stock adjustment accounts
(b) What are the various items adjusted through this account
C. Who is the competent authority to sanction the clearance of balance under this head
15. What are the essentials of a good inventory control system? Discuss ABC analysis and its advantages
16. Write short notes on any five
a) Completion Estimates and Completion Reports
B) Risk and Cost
C) Non-Schedule Items
D) Final Location Survey
E) Fall Clause
f) EFT and ECS

LDCE QUESTIONS 2007

LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE 2007
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
14TH FEBRUARY 2007
PAPER I
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE & ENGLISH, OFFICIAL LANGUAGE POLICY: GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE RAILWAYS. BOOKS AND BUDGET INCLUDING TRAFFIC BOOK

Important this paper contains two sections – A & B. Both sections have to be answered section A carries 50 marks and section B carries 100 marks
SECTION A (MAX MARKS-50)
1. write a short essay on any of the following (10 marks)
a. If there is poverty anywhere, it affects prosperity every where.
b. Effect of information technology on employment – is it positive or negative?
c. Raj Bhasha policy implementation on IR
2. Expand the following abbreviations ( 5 marks – 0.5 marks)
a. GDP b. CDROM c. RVNL d.GPS e. LIBOR f. PSLV g. GSLV h. SEBI i. BOLT j. ASEAN
3. Find the difference in meaning and usage of the following pairs of words( 5 marks)
a. effluent & affluent b. hallmark & bench mark c. jeans & genes d. affect & effect e. interpret & interrupt
4. why have these persons been in the news ( 5 marks)
a. Dr Raja J Cheeliah b. Nawjot Singh Siddhu c. Wangari Maathai d. Mohammed Ynus e. Shane Warne
5. give the name of the authors of these books (5 marks)
a. Search in Secret India b. Raja Tarangini c. The World is flat d. Ignited Minds e. Savitri
6. where are the following situated ( 3 marks 0.5 marks )
a. Buland Darwaza b. Hawa Mahal c. RDSO d. Petronas Towers e. Rolland Garros Ground f. Wax Museum of Madam Tussaud
7. Match the following ( 2 marks 0.5 marks)

Uber cup Cricket
China man Tennis
Check mate Badminton
Deuce chess
8. write a paragraph on any two of the following ( 4 marks each)
a. Dedicated Freight Corridor b. Ombudsman c. GM Crops d. Garib Rath
9. use the following in sentences of your own ( 6 marks 1 ½ marks each)
a. ultra wires b. de-novo c. suo-moto d. inter-alia
10. use the following idioms In your own sentences ( 5 marks)
a. bite the dust b. strike a balance c. in the same breath d. cast the first stone e. pay through the nose
SECTION B MAX MARKS 100
This section contains two parts A & B Attempt four questions taking any two from each
All questions carry equal marks
Part A
1. in a developing country like India on the threshold of the take-off, there is always competing demands between remunerative tariffs and societal needs. This calls of new ways of resource rising and innovative revenue measures. Describe the recent steps taken by IR in the regard. Do you have any suggestion?

2. the public accounts committee of parliament has repeatedly criticised the increasing trend of misclassifications ain accounts and mistakes in budgeting. Present an analysis of the causes for these problems. Suggest appropriate steps to eliminate their recurrence
3. railways are at once a Govt dept and commercial enterprise. Discuss how the twin-need of Govt and commercial accounting are satisfied in railway accounting process. Discuss the issue of dividend payment to the central revenue in this context.
4. write shot notes on any two of the following :
a. Integrated Budget b. Zero Based Budgeting c. Performance Budgeting d. Corporate Plans

Part B
5. Raiwlay Board (FC) have recently appointed a committee to explore the reasons for the delay in submission of monthly actual expenditure and also the variations between the approximates and the actuals. From your angle, analyze the causes for these delays and variations. Can the approximate be dispensed with the actuals submitted at an earlier date? Suggest steps for this.
6. There is a plethora of suspense heads in railway accounting. Discuss the need for continued operation of these suspense heads, specifically focussing on one suspense head each from Earnings, revenue expenditure and works expenditure
7. Write short notes on the following
a. demands payable b. exchequer control c. SRS F d. Annual Debt head Report
8. What is the accounting mechanism for recording the traffic earnings of a railway under various heads and their progressive realisation? Also describe the procedure for the apportionment of traffic earnings amongst railways

ANSWER ANY TWO out of questions 9 to 12 or ANY TWO out of questions 13 to 16 (25 each)
PART III A TRAFFIC ACCOUNTS STATISTICS AND ESTABLISHMENT ( 50 MARKS)
9. do you agree with the statement the magnitude of outstanding under traffic suspense reflects the efficiency of traffic accounts office? Discuss with your suggestions to bring it to the optimal levels.
10. a. what are the various types of statistical information generated from a goods invoice? Explain in detail how any three of them are calculated.
b. what is the reason for the continued difference between accounts office figures and statistical figures in monthly earnings?
11. Write short notes on
a. leave not due b. recent changes in the haulage charges of postal traffic c. scale check register d. combine train reports
12. Give significance of the following statistical results
a. wagon kilometres per wagon per day b. net tonne kilo meters c. occupation ratio d. net tonne kilo meters per engine hour
Part III B WORKSHOP AND STORES ACCOUNTS AND GENERAL EXPENDITURE
13. Elucidate
a. what are the constituent elements of workshop manufacturing suspense?
b. the objective and procedure for job costing in a railway workshop. How would you take make or buy decision based on cost data?
14. write short notes on
a. VED b.repeat order c. stores exception reports d. transfer pricing
15. a. describe the various techniques used for reducing the material cost through various stages in the purchase,storage, issue and disposal
b. how is inventory turn over ratio calculated? Can it be termed as a reliable index of inventory management

16. discuss the management information system with special reference to material management. Explain how the system helps the management in decision making.





LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
15TH FEBRUARY 2007
PAPER II
TOTAL SIX QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED – TWO FROM PART I AND TWO FROM PART II AND TWO FROM EITHER PART III A OR III B ALL QUESTIONS CARRY EQUAL MARKS

PART I
FINANCIAL JUSTIFICATION FOR EXPENDITURE and TRAFFIC COSTING (MAX MARKS 50)

1. Describe the steps/stages involved in preparing a project report for new line project, predominantly for carrying iron ore. How is the project-appraisal and sensitivity analysis done for assessing the viability of the project? Assume your own data

2. Answer the following
a. there is a section of opinion which holds that cross-subsidisation in fares between passenger and goods in railways should be abandoned and the fare structure should align costs with tariff. Does the present traffic costing system provide adequate and reliable data to discuss the opinion?

b. discuss the methodologies of costing EMU services

3. Discuss any three of the following in brief
a. social cost benefit analysis b. specific fuel consumption c. apportionment of joint costs d. green book e. two packet system of tendering f. risk and cost tender

4. Railways need alternative sources for plan expenditure. Discuss the schemes like BOLT, BOT and projects under PPP in furthering this purpose.

PART II MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING ( Max marks 50)
5. Explain the concept and utility of financial ratio analysis. Discuss the use of at least four ratios to assess the comparative performance of a railway in different periods as well as with other railways

6.
a. discuss cost volume-profit analysis . Describe the utility of break-even analysis for profit planning, continue or drop a product, make or buy decisions etc
b. zenith company manufactures a special cement which is sold in bags of 20 kgs its financial data is given below
Selling price per bag: Rs. 30.00
Variable cost per bag: Rs 16.00
Fixed cost : Rs 100000.00
Quantity : 3000 bags
Calculate the following
a. Break even quantity
b. Assume 10 % increase in fixed cost and calculate the new break even point
c. Assume 50 % increase in fixed cost and calculate the new break even point
d. Assume increase in variable cost to Rs 20 per bag and calculate the new break even point
7. write short notes on any three of the following
a. variance analysis b. fund flow analysis c. AFRES d. PERT
8. what is meant by Product Life Cycle Costing? Also explain the purpose of the same. What step you would recommend to reduce the life cycle cost in a railway production unit?

LDCE QUESTIONS 2003

LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
MAY 2003
PAPER I
PART I GENERAL KNOWLEDGE & ENGLISH
1. Expand the following abbreviations ( 5 marks half marks each)
a) BCCI
b) KRCL
c) RITES
d) IRSSE
e) GNP
f) MFN
g) CCRS
h) FEMA
i) CD-ROM
j) IVRS
2. Name the following (5 marks each half marks each)
a) First Indian woman to win an Olympic medal
b) General manager, southern railway
c) Chairman railway board
d) Mixed doubles’ champions of Australian open 2003
e) Venue of Olympics 2004
f) Currency of Bangladesh
g) Firs president of India
h) Batsman to score the fastest century in cricket world cup
i) The author of the column “with malice towards one and all”
j) Secretary of state USA
3. In which cities would you find the following ( 5 marks half marks each)
a) Leaning Tower
b) Statue Of Liberty
c) Lotus Temple
d) Hutatma Chowk
e) Louvers Museum
f) ‘Petronas’ Towers
g) Gate Way Of India
h) Popes’ Residence
i) Vidhan Soudha
j) Wimbledon
4. Match the following ( 3 marks half mark each)
1. rugby a. castle
2. golf b. pole position
3. motor racing c. deuce
4. chess d. little slam
5. tennis e. eagle
6. contract bridge f. touch down
5. Name the authors of the following books ( 2 marks half mark each)
a) Interpreter Of Maladies
b) Discovery Of India
c) A Suitable Boy
d) Madhushala
6. What are the following ( 3 marks half mark each)
a) East coast railway head quarters
b) Rail coach factory
c) Diesel component works
d) Garden reach
e) Baroda house
f) IRIATT
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
8. USE THE FOLLOWING to bring out the difference in meaning ( 5 marks 1 mark each)
a) Bear and bare
b) Lose and loose
c) Break and brake
d) Severe and persevere
e) Genes and jeans
9. use the following in your own sentences ( 10 marks 1 mark each)
a) Suo moto
b) Fight shy of
c) De facto
d) Let sleeping dogs lie
e) Lingua franca
f) Take to heart
g) Ad infinitum
h) At the eleventh hour
i) Par excellence
j) Laughing stock
10. Write a para of not more than SIX sentences on ANY TWO of the following (10 marks 5 marks each)
a) Child is the father of the man
b) There is many a slip between the cup and the lip
c) Brevity is the soul of wit
PART II GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING (50 marks)
11. Write briefly about the various funds now in operation in Indian railways (10)
12. Answer ANY TWO of the following (20 each)
a) Trace briefly the various stages from survey to completion report of a new line
b) Write short notes on ANY TWO of the following
1. appropriation accounts
2. misc advance revenue
3. productivity test
c) Distinguish between ANY TWO of the following
1. Operating ratio and PEI
2. TC and JV
3. Sundry earnings and miscellaneous earnings
PART III BOOKS & BUDGET (INCLUDING TRAFFIC BOOK) (50 MARKS)
13. What steps would you suggest to reduce cash handling by railway (10)
14. Answer ANY TWO of the following
a) How are the earnings apportioned between zonal railways? Is apportionment necessary?
b) Distinguish between approximate and actual account current. Is it necessary to prepare both?
c) What are the various components of traffic suspense? How can we control each of them?
LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE 2003
PAPER II

SIX QUESTIONS ARE TO ANSWERED (TWO FROM PART I TWO FROM PART II AND TWO FROM EITHER PART III A OR PART III B) (each question carries 25 marks)
Part I FINANCIAL JUSTIFICATION AND TRAFFIC COSTING ( 50 MARKS)
1. How are Suburban cost worked out in the railway? Is the methodology adequate?
2. write short notes on ANY THREE of the following
a. urgency certificate
b. debits under demand no 9
c. material modification
d. wagon turn round
3. if the route between Madurai and Tutucorin is to electrified how will you work out the justification? What are the major data required?
PART II MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING (50 MARKS)
4. What are the various sources of non-traditional earnings that have been and can be exploited by railways? Comment on the success or failure of the efforts to southern railway in this area in 2001-02 and 2002-03
5. What is ratio analysis? Discuss any two major ratios used in railways vis-à-vis companies
6. Discuss the use of computers in railway financial management. What are the areas that should be covered in computerised financial management information system?

ANSWER ANY TWO out of questions 7, 8 and 9 or ANY TWO out of questions 0,11 and 12 (25 each)
PART III A TRAFFIC ACCOUNTS STATISTICS AND ESTABLISHEMENT ( 50 MARKS)
7. Introduction of PRS, ARTS machines and other modernisations hve led to newer types of frauds. What steps can be taken by traffic accounts office and TIAs to detect these frauds? Illustrate your answer with at least two types of frauds
8. Write shot notes on ANT THREE of the following
a) LPC
b) Combined/joint train report
c) NTKM
d) Classification of commodities
e) Leave not due
9. How would you check the following proposals?
a. station to station rate for moving sponge iron
b. proposal under volume discount scheme
c. opening of a halt station

PART III B WORKSHOP &STORES AND GENERAL EXPENDITURE (50 marks)
10 a. explain the concept of part estimates
b. is there any need for accounts office to vet tender schedule in works tenders? Write in detail bringing out Board’s orders on the subject
11. Write short notes on ANY THREE of the following
a) Turnover ratio
b) Letter of credit
c) Basic schedule of rates
d) Material at site accounts
12 how are POH debits settled between two zonal railways? What are the reasons or wide variation in POH costs in different workshops and what can be done to bring about uniformity?

LDCE QUESTIONS 2001

LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
14th June 2001
PAPER I
Important; this paper contains two sections A and B. both sections have to be answere. Sectin A carries 50 marks and Section B carries 100 marks
Section A (max marks 50)
GK I Expand the following abbreviations
(i) CBEC (ii) ICICI (iii) IRCON (iv) PAC (v) LIBOR (vi) SAIL (vii) TRAI (viii) BOLT
(ix) UNESCO (x) SEBI 5 marks
GK II write short notes onANY FIVE
I. BALCO disinvestment
II. Dabhol power project
III. External commercial borrowing
IV. Moody’s rating
V. Narmada river valley project
VI. Green house effect
VII. Public distribution system 10 marks
GK III. write short notes in not more than 200 words on ANY ONE of the following
i. Official language policy
ii. Renewable energy sources
iii. Information technology 10 marks
GK 4 name the authors of the following books
i. God of small things
ii. Discovery of India
iii. Malgudi days
iv. Das capital
v. War and peace 5 marks
GK 5 name the sports associated with the following
i. Ranji trophy
ii. Durand cup
iii. Rangaswamy cup
iv. Thomas cup
v. Wimbledon 5 marks

GK 6 Use the following pairs of words in sentences of your own
i. Poll – pole
ii. Adept – adapt
iii. Excepted – expected
iv. Opposite – apposite
v. Cite – site 10 marks

GK 7 Fill up the blanks with suitable preposition
The cabinet __________ Wednesday decided _________ form a sub-committee _____ draw ______ a white paper __________ the financial position _____ the state. The Government wanted ________ place the factual position _____ the people ______ the white paper 5 marks

SECTION B max marks 100

This section contains two parts A and B. attempt any four questions taking any two from each part. All questions carry equal marks

BA 1. Indian railways are required to fund not only commercially viable projects but also non-viable but socially relevant projects over the few decades. The massive investment requirements of the shelf of pending projects need innovative measures for funding. Outline some of the specific initiates taken by the railways in this direction and suggest further measures to over come the problem of resource crunch.

BA 2 how is parliamentary control over railway’s finances exercised? What is the role of various parliamentary committees in this process?

BA 3 writes short notes on ANY FOUR
i. Ways And Means Advances
ii. Rakesh Mohan Committee
iii. Railway Safety Fund
iv. Action Taken Note’
v. Commercial Exploitation Of Land
vi. Amortization

BA 4 what is zero based budgeting. What are the steps taken by the railways in the last five years to adopt this system?

BA 5 what is the role of statutory audit on the Indian railways? Is it possible to dispense with the organization if the internal auditing system is strengthened?

PART B
BB 1 what is appropriate accounts? Annexure J is the index of efficiency of accounts department. Discuss

BB2 there is urgent need to simplify the procedure and speed up the realization and accountal of traffic earnings. Discuss duly explaining the present system in detail

BB3 railways operate a large number of suspense heads. Discuss the need the context and the method of operation of any THREE of them selecting one each from earnings, revenue and expenditure and works expenditure

BB4 the delay in making available the acutals and the wide variation between the approximate and actual render the present system of closing of accounts ineffective and liable for criticism. Give concrete suggestions to make tangible improvements in this area

BB5 physical performance and financial results do not go in tandem so far as earnings are concerned. What are the factors responsible for such a divergence?
&/&/&/
WWW


LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
15th June 2001
PAPER II
This paper contains two sections A and B. both sections have to be answered .Section A is compulsory for all candidates and carries maximum of 50 marks. Section B which carries maximum of 100 marks has two parts A and B. candidates should attempt either of the two parts depending on their optional subject

SECTION A (max marks 50)

A1 There is an overwhelming view that cross-subsidisation of passenger fare by freight rate should be given up and there should be alignment of tariff with the costs. How far our traffic costing system can be relied upon to take decisions in such important aspect? Do you have any suggestions to make?
A2. What are financial ratios? Enumerate any three of them and examine their applicability to railway working
A3. With the computerisation of accounts is should be possible to determine the cost activity wise. Do you agree? What further measures are required to have meaningful data?
A4. What is the meaning of life cycle costing? What are the areas where it can be employed? Is it an improvement over the normal costing system?

Or
What is marginal costing? Explain the scope for adopting this concept for maximising the intensity of use of railway assets
SECTION B
Important: This section contains two parts A and B. Either part A or part B should be attempted by candidates depending on their choice of optional

Part A (TRAFFIC ACCOUNTS AND STATISTICS; ESTABLISHMENT)
Answer any three questions. All questions carry equal marks

BA 1. How effective is the internal check mechanism of passenger reservations (PRS) and Advanced Railway Ticketing System (ARTS)? Is the system fool proof and free from frauds?

BA2. The magnitude of outstanding under Traffic Suspense reflects the efficiency of traffic accounts office. Discuss

BA3. (i) What are the important operating statistics relating to goods operations?
(ii) What is Specific Fuel Consumption? How it is computed for diesel and electric traction?
BA 4 writes short notes on:
I. Workmen’s compensation
II. Transport allowance
III. Annual statistical statement No 40
IV. Operating ratio
V. Pension fund
BA 5. ‘Recommendation of V pay commission has thrown railway finances out of gear do you agree?
Or
Elaborate the procedures of internal check of establishment claims in a computerised environment as distinct from manual bills

PART B (GENERAL EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS, WORKSHOP, AND STORES ACCOUNTS)

Answer any THREE questions. All questions carry equal marks
BB1. What are the latest instructions from Railway Board regarding (1) award of contracts n single tender basis for execution of works and (2) post tender negotiation?

BB2. Write short notes on:
(i) risk purchase
(ii) profroma on cost
(iii) “make” or “buy” decision
(iv) completion reports
(v) variation in quantities in a works contract

BB3. “The workshop out-turn statements truly and effectively reflect shop activities and efficiency of workshops accounts office”. Discuss with particular reference to checks to be exercised in the preparation of statement

BB4. How far stock verification can contribute to better material management? What improvement, if any, would you suggest to make it more effective?

BB5. Explain the linkage between stores, WMS and Revenue Budget

BB6. There has been a spurt in the cases referred to for arbitration on this railway. How far is this attributable to the recent changes in the arbitration act? Are there deficiencies in contract formulation and management? Suggest remedies.

LDCE QUESTIONS 1996

LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
6th September 1996
PAPER I
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AND ENGLISH; GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RAILWAYS; BOOKS AND BUDGET INCLUDING TRAFFIC BOOK
Important: this paper contains two sections A and B. both the sections have to be answered. Section A carries 50 maximum, and section B carries 100 marks
SECTION A
GK1. Expand the abbreviations in any five 5 marks
a) CTBT
b) ICRISAT
c) NABARD
d) ECAFE
e) PSLV
f) WTO
g) SEBI
h) MAT
i) ILO
j) BIFR
GK2. (I) Write short notes on any five 10 marks
a) Alamatti Dam
b) CHIPKO Movement
c) Medha Patkar
d) Damodhar Valley Corporation
e) Vote On Account
f) Atlanta
g) Solar Energy
Or
(ii) Write the main features of the official language Act 1963 (Act 19 of 1963)

GK3. Write a note in not more than 200 words on any one of the following 15 marks
a) Public sector disinvestment programme
b) Amarnath yatra
c) SAARC
GK 4. Fill up the blanks with suitable preposition 5 marks
Coming back _______ the Eastern Railway, operations were _____ its peak efficiency and ____ February and March 1969, _____ loading figures ____ coal and general goods set new records. ___ far ____ general goods loading is concerned the figures obtained _____ those months have never been reached subsequently.
GK 5. Name the authors of the following books 5 marks
a) Discovery of India
b) My experiments with truth
c) Passage to India
d) As you like it
e) Ivanhoe
GK 6. What is common to the following railway stations from the point of view of fast travel 5 marks
Lucknow, Kalka, Amritsar, Dehardun, Bhopal, Bokaro, Ahmedabad, and Bangalore
GK 7. Name the four highest civilian awards given in our country naming atleast two recipients of the highest award 5 marks

SECTION B (MAXIMUM MARKS 100)
This section contains two parts A and B. attempt any four questions taking any two from each part. All questions carry equal marks of 25
PART A
BA 1. What are the various instruments through which the Indian railway finance corporation raises funds? How are these deposited to meet the capital requirement of railways ? how does the Indian railways discharge its liability to the corporation?
BA 2. write short notes on any four
a) Amortisation
b) Capital Fund
c) Railway Fare And Freight Enquiry Committee
d) Activity Based Costing
e) BOLT Schemes
f) Budgetary Reports

BA3. What are the various committees of parliament relating to railway financial performance? Explain in detail the working of any one of the committees

BA4. “In the wake of economic reforms and liberalisation policies Indian railway’s system and procedures require fundamental change” discuss

BA 5. (a) What is the purpose of different funds in the set up of the existing railway’s financial system?
(b) What are the implications in financial terms and nature of justification between charging of works to capital fund and capital-at-charge?

PART B
BB 1. What do you understand by zero based budget? How is this improvement over the conventional system of budgeting in railways?
BB2. Explain the present system of remittance of earnings into government account. What are your suggestions for improving the promptness of accountal?
BB3. How is the earnings budget of a railway formulated? What is the usefulness of various statistical data in this exercise?
BB4. Within the appropriations voted by parliament, relays should be free to prioritise their investments on works, rolling stock and machinery and plant. Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
BB5. The present system of closing of accounts and transfer adjustments delay the availability of accounting information for decision making. What are the areas in which this can be improved upon?


LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
7th September 1996
PAPER II
FINANCIAL JUSTIFICATION FOR EXPENDITURE AND TRAFFIC COSTING: MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING, TRAFFIC ACCOUNTS AND STATISTICS: ESTABLISHMENT (OR) GENERAL EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS WORKSHOP AND STORES ACCOUNTS
Important: this paper contains two sections A and B. both the sections have to be answered. Section A is compulsory for all candidates and carries 50 marks maximum

Section B which carries 100 marks maximum has two parts A and B. candidates should attempt either of the two papers depending on their optional subjects.

Section A maximum marks 50
A – 1. what do you understand by “life-cycle” costing? What are the important areas where it can be employed? How is it an improvement over the normally known costing system?
A – 2. what is meant by financial ratios? Enumerate any three of them. Can the operating ratio be considered as a financial ratio? Give reasons for your answer
A – 3. a work costing Rs 75 Lakhs and not included in the sanctioned budget is required to be executed urgently. What is the procedure to be followed in the zonal railway before the work can be commenced?
A- 4. in regard to goods traffic what is the traffic costing information available? How are they helpful in investment formulation?
Section B
Important: this section contains two part A & B. either part A or Part B should be attempted by candidates depending on their choice of optional. Each part contains a maximum of 100 marks.
Part A Traffic accounts and statistics establishment
Answer any three questions
All questions carry equal marks
BA 1. What is the impact and consequential changes on the traffic accounts office due to introduction of passenger reservation system (PRS) and advanced railway ticketing system (ARTS)? Has this contributed to the efficiency of internal check?
BA 2. Write short notes on
a) Cash in transit
b) Leave not due
c) Ex- Gratia bonus
d) Demands recoverable
e) Charges for haulage of postal traffic
BA 3. What are the types of statistical information generated from a goods invoice? Explain in detail how any three of them are calculated.
BA 4. How far can the procedure relating to internal check in the accounts code be dispensed with in respect of computer prepared pay bills?
BA 5. The performance of the accounts dept in recovering dues to the administration from the employees requires improvement. Can you suggest any system improvement?
Part B General Expenditure accounts workshop and stores accounts
BB1. Higher inventory levels are preferable to “out of stock” situations. What are the economic and financial implications?
BB2 what are the existing safe guards for effective control over expenditure? Can you suggest any improvement?
BB 3. What do you understand by the “two envelope system” in a works tender? How is this an improvement over the existing open tender system?
BB4. The existing system of incentive payment encourages inefficiency and dilutes quality. Can you suggest any alternative system to improve productivity in the workshops?
BB 5. an item was simultaneously ordered on two sources after an open tender – A at Rs 2.00 per unit and B at Rs 2.05 per unit. B completes his supply within the delivery period of 90 days and A fails to even commence supply. In this back ground a proposal is received from the COS for enhancing the quantity on B, arguing that the item is regularly required and stocks will last only 15 days. B is agreeable for the enhancement. What will be your recommendations on the proposal? Give reasons for your answer.

LDCE QUESTIONS 1994

LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
MAY 1994
PAPER I
GENERAL KNOWLDEDGE AND ENGLISH; GENERAL PRICIPLES OF GOVERNEMNT ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RAILWAYS; BOOKS AND BUDGET INCLUDING TRAFFIC BOOK
Important: this paper contains two sections A and B. both the sections have to be answered. Section A carries 50 maximutm, and section B carries 100 marks
SECTION A (Max marks 50)
GK1. Expand the abbreviations in any five 5 marks
i. GATT
ii. IMF
iii. ANC
iv. ASEAN
v. SLV
vi. NPT
vii. CAT
viii. RBI
ix. ADB
x. UPSC
GK 2. Write short note on any five 10 marks
i. Isobar
ii. Dunkel
iii. Territorial waters
iv. Wind farms
v. Bosania
vi. Telugu ganga
vii. Nelson Mandela
viii. Yasser Arafat
ix. Narmada project
x. Hazarat bal mosque
GK 3. Match the following 5 marks
i. Lara a. Jhansi
ii. Rabindranath Tagore b. Atomic Energy
iii. Lakshmi Bai c. Cricket
iv. Homi Baba d. Chess
v. Anand e. Geethanjali
GK 4. Use any five of the following pairs of words in sentences of your own 10 marks
i. coarse – course vi. Prey - pray
ii. wise - vice vii. Brake - break
iii. call – cavail viii. Tall – toll
iv. rain – rein ix. Foil - fail
v. sell - cell x. Naval – Novel

GK 5. Fill up the blank with suitable prepositions 5 marks
The absence _____ census data is taken advantage of ____ various persons ____ each state ____boost the estimates _______ persons speaking their language.

GK 6. Write a note in not more than 250 words one of the following 10 marks
a. national literacy programme
b. rail road coordination
c. public sector undertaking
GK 7. Give one word for any five of the following 5 marks
i. one who sells flowers
ii. doctor treating children
iii. specialist in heart disease
iv. documents issued by authority to its citizens who wants to travel abroad
v. the presiding authority over Lok Sabha who generally conducts its proceedings
vi. one who writes dramas
vii. the highest point of a mountain
viii. a person who knows a number of languages
ix. science dealing with study of animals and birds

SECTION B
This section contains two parts A and B. Attempt any four questions taking any two from each part. All questions carry equal marks
PART A
BA 1. Discuss the committee system introduced for ________ of the budget and examine whether this in any way rendered any of other already existing instrument/procedure for financial control of railway by parliament redundant.
BA 2. What is the purpose of different “funds” in the set up of existing financial system of railways? Has there been any change in the last two years? Discuss the pros and cons of the change if any
BA 3. In what way the present set up and systems and procedures in railway help or hinder the railway in coping with the recent liberalisation policy initiated by the Government? Discuss
BA 4. Write short notes on any four
a. Railway Convention Committee
b. Plan Heads
c. Indian Railway Finance Corporation
d. Konkan Railway Corporation
e. Canons Of Financial Propriety
BA 5. What is the need for separate audit by representatives of the Comptroller and Auditor General? With more effective organisation or internal auditing system can it be dispensed with? Discuss
PART B
BB 1. Do you consider the present procedure method of assessing earnings effective and realistic? Suggest any improvements / innovations you feel necessary
BB 2. How far the principles of zero based budgeting and management accounting been adopted I n railway in assessing the requirement as also reasonableness and need of inputs and analysis and presentation? Discuss
BB 3. “The present system of monitoring and accountal of remittance of earnings is not effective In preventing frauds”. Discuss. Do you suggest any procedural changes?
BB 4. “The present procedure of apportionment of earnings and expenditure is not fair to the southern railway with limited lead”. Discuss
BB 5. Discuss whether it is necessary to have Annual Works Programme, and M&P as at present? What are the alternatives/improvements you would suggest and why?





LDCE QUESTION PAPERS YEAR WISE
May 1994
PAPER II
FINANCIAL JUSTIFICATION FOR EXPENDITURE AND TRAFFIC COSTING: MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING, TRAFFIC ACCOUNTS AND STATISTICS: ESTABLISHMENT (OR) GENERAL EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS WORKSHOP AND STORES ACCOUNTS
Important: this paper contains two sections A and B. both the sections have to be answered. Section A is compulsory for all candidates and carries 50 marks maximum
Section B which carries 100 marks maximum has two parts A and B. candidates should attempt either of the two papers depending on their optional subjects.

Section A maximum marks 50
Attempt any two questions. Each questing carries 25 marks
A – 1. How far the present traffic costing been effective in determining realistically the financial viability of introduction of new trains/augmentation of service?
A – 2. “Traffic costing like statistics is often used not for enlightenment in taking correct decision but for supporting decisions one wants to take”. How far is this statement well founded or unfounded. Discuss with specific cases if any illustrating your stand.
A – 3. How often the principle of marginal costing used in capturing / retaining the customer while protecting and furthering the financial interest of railways? Illustrate
A – 4. How far the principle of zero based assessment of inputs and innovation in management accounting principles utilised to further the objective of change over to unigauge system? Discuss.

SECTION B
Important: This section contains two parts A and B. Either part A or part B should be attempted by candidates depending on their choice of optional Each part contains a maximum of 100 marks

Part A (TRAFFIC ACCOUNTS AND STATISTICS; ESTABLISHMENT)
Answer any three questions. All questions carry equal marks
BA – 1. How far the present method of compilation and presentation of statistical data helped in effective management decision and control on railway?
BA – 2. Division as profit center knows its expenditure and not its earnings. How far divisionalisation of traffic accounts help in ensuring effective informed participation nad mobilisation in bettering the financial performance of the division?
BA – 3. Has the computerisation of reservation system helped in improving the earnings, effecting analysis of passenger profile to maximise the earnings/utilisation of seats, plug loopholes? Discuss the effectiveness of passenger reservation system (PRS) and advance railway ticketing system(ARTS) introduced in current booking.
BA – 4. Write Short Notes On
a. Firms Credit Notes (FCNs)
b. Special Casual Leave
c. National Holiday
d. Wage Period
e. Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB)
BA – 5. Discuss the present method of accountal and recovery of advances and dues like festival advances, diet charges, electricity charges from the staff. Discuss whether the system for recovery is effective and suggest any improvement felt necessary
BA – 6. What are the steps you would suggest to control the expenditure on establishment – which has almost doubled over the last few years – for improving the competitiveness of the railways and its viability?
PART B (GENERAL EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS AND WORKSHOP AND STORES ACCOUNTS)

Answer any THREE questions. All questions carry equal marks
BB – 1. Is risk purchase effective in our system? If not why not and what is the procedural/policy correctives you would suggest?
BB -2. With the cost of finance the inventory carriage is increasingly becoming costly. How can railways reduce inventory without compromising on effectiveness of its service and also ensure economy?
BB - 3. Discuss the effectiveness of prevailing system of incentive payment in railway workshop. How is it an instrument for improving productivity with quality commensurate with investment for modernisation of the workshop?
BB – 4. How far the system of purchase through open tenders ensured quality with economy and reliability? Should railway change over to a system of identifying reliable suppliers with long term commitment in the interest of ensuring quality and reliability?
BB – 5. is the present procedure/method of planning , procuring and inducting machines as replacement or for modernisation cost effective? What are the improvements you suggest to ensure the investments slim, strictly need based and improvement is productivity commensurate with investment is ensured?
BB – 6. There is growing feeling that “we should better privatise, better buy than make”. Why is this so? What role can stores and workshop accounts play to rationalise and ensure “makes”, more attractive than “buys” and reverse the trend?

A VISIT TO RED SOIL IN THE RED CORRIDOR (ARAKU VALLEY & VIZAGAPATNAM)

Our trip to vizagapattinam and Araku valley in the northern eastern part of Andhra Pradesh was like a sojourn to the past. Vizaagapatinam is variously called vaisagapattinam, izzatnagar, waltair, etc each name identified with a bit of history unknown to outsiders. Incidentally, the vaisaga star is the birth star of Lord Murugan the traditional deity of the Tamils. It is also worth mentioning that in Tiruchendur, he fought against the sea pirates under the leadership of Sura Padman. Probably those were the marine pirates who were marauding the Indian Ocean those days. History says that these pirates hid in the numerous islands in the Indian Ocean and attacked the merchants’ ships of Imperial Cholas, the Kalingas, the Chalukyas, the Romans, the Chinese and the Arabs who had extensive trade journeys crisscrossing the Indian Ocean. Thus, the imperial Cholas organized the armored ships (precursors of the present day Merchant Navy) to protect the merchants, their merchandise and their ships. Probably Lord Murugan had one the military settlement (Padai veedu)in the vaizagapattinam those days to protect the traders of the Kalinga and Chalukya.

The tour was booked from Chennai itself through AP Tourism Development Corporation. Having booked two months in advance, we had no hassles once we reached vizagapattinam. The city is perched on the delta of river Gosthane – udder of the Cow – the water source for the city. Pattinam is a town located in the delta region where the river meets the sea. Poombuhar Pattinam is an example from Tamil Nadu. These port towns were flourishing towns for more than thousand years having active trade links with the entire east from Java, Sumatra, china, and in the west Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Rome. The Tamil literary sources explain that Puhar pattinam another name for the Poombuhar, had day shops (Naal Angaadi) and night shops (al angaadi).

Another gory past of the area was the height of Buddhism during its heydays. The city has numerous Buddhist ruins like monasteries, beaches, stupas and viharas. One such ruin is the thotla gunta – thottil in Telugu means water tank. It was amazing to know that the Buddhist monastery on top of the hill had rain water harvesting in ancient days. There were seven tanks each interlinked with the other to store the rain water and use it for the entire year or until the next monsoon day. The guide explained one such huge tank carved out of the stone is perennial and still has water when we visited the place.

The trip to red soil (Araku valley – Araku in Oriya language means red soil- at the height of 1447 meters) started with the train journey with the Kirandul passenger which goes up to Bailadilla iron ore mines, Koraput in Orissa. The line intersects with three states i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Chhatisgarh. There are 52 tunnels on the way to Araku station. It was laid for carrying ore from the Eastern Ghats to the vizag port city. The Dhandakarunya- Bolangir-Kiriburu line was laid by the collaboration of the Indian railways and the Japanese govt. it rises to a height of meters and has the second highest BG station Similiguda (996 meters) in India. The first being the Udhampur station in Jammu &Kashmir.

The highest peak in Andhra is the Anandagiri On reaching the Araku station, APTDC bus carried us to the tribal museum where the various moods and activities are immortalized in clay models. The curios shop contained articles made by tribes. Special coffee powder grown in valley is sold as organic coffee powder the aroma which is very surpassing. Next we were taken to a small park – Padmapuram botanical gardens where the specialty is the Australian silver oak which is having three layers and the innermost layer is used of paraill, middle layer for making bats, the outermost layer for plastic- under development which is a poor replica of the all parks of hill stations. The range of mountains is called the Ghalikhonda range of the Eastern Ghats. The lunch was laid at the Araku valley hill resort owned by the APTDC.

After the lunch, a tribal dance was organized. Some of the enthusiastic women and girls from among the tourists joined them. We proceeded to the Anandagiri the summer palace of the viziyanagar kings. It was a very attractive and airy summer palace surrounded by beautiful gardens where tea and snacks were served. From there we straight went to the Borro caves. Borro in Oriya language meant a hole. The subterranean caves were formed naturally under the mountains and the interior is full of lime stones. The continuous seeping of rain water has created wonderful natural formations of various gods and goddesses. The lighting arrangement is excellent and awe making. The caves were first found by, a British in 1896 by accident. The caves are said to be 150millions years old. The archeology dept of Waltair university have made some excavations in the area and found that pre historic human settlement existed about 30000 to 50000 years ago. The length of the caves is 200-320 meters, height of the caves 172 meters and situated in 2.5 square KM. The caves are well illuminated for the tourists and are allowed to enter up to 5.30 pm only.

Certain parts are not open to tourists as these are very dangerous depths. In side the caves, natural formation of Shiva, Ganesha and other images are found. Just above the caves runs the Kirandula line. Exactly on the point above which the line runs, the East Coast Railway has made stone inscription to indicate the height of the cave as 175 meters and above that the railway line is running. For elderly and bulky tourists the ascending and descending is a strenuous job. It takes about one to two hours to meander through the caves and enjoy the natural rock formation. The floor is slippery due to continuous seepage of water from the top and safety rails are provided for the tourists.

The river Gosthane- udder of the Cow –originates from under the cave. The river appears as a small rivulet that when reaches vizag city is one kilometer wide. The water looks milky and whitish due to oxidization of the line stones with water. Borro caves were last of the tour destination and we started to descend down wards to vizagpatnam. The bus route is very break taking with its meandering roads on the surface of the mountains. It took three hours for us to reach vizag. The day was spend wisely and justly. Still the Araku was in our mind and the numerous tribes living precariously on the valley.

We could not but raise a question why all over the world the tribes choose to live on the mineral rich mountains and not on the plains. It is said that such places are natural soothing places which prevent diseases and ensures calmness and tranquility in minds. After visiting the tribes we had no choice but to believe. Their world is far off from ours they may lack modern facilities and technology we enjoy but relatively they are free and happy with a clean and healthy environment.
Never forget that except the BSNL network, no other mobile net work is in operation over the valley.

MUNNAR DETAILS
Munnar is the Tamil word meaning three rivers – Nallathanni(Potable water), Periya Kaanal(big canal) and Chinna kana(small canal)n l- as the place was developed by the Tamils who were taken there by the British to work in the tea plantations. Most of the laborers are oppressed communities from the southern and eastern Tamil Nadu. The tyranny of caste system was so unbearable, people preferred to run away fro their native villages to the hilly areas. The caste system became so rigid after the invasion of the Vijayanagara Empire which totally decimated the local Nadu system of administration to palayapattu and pandaravada divisions. While the rich and fertile palayapattus were kept with the Telugu nobles, the dry and red and black soil palayapattu were given to the Maravar caste which helped probably the invaders to quell the rebellion of the local Tamils. Thus the areas under Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli which fell into the hands of Maravar castes,were forced to flee to the mountains in search of livelihood and peace. Until some forty years, there was not even a road to reach Munnar and Bodi Mettu was the last point up to which Ghat roads led to. From there people who were largely workers in the plantations, walked to the Munnar.
We have taken the journey via Madurai. On reaching Madurai, we proceeded to the central bus stand to take a bus to Theni. It takes about two hours to reach Theni from where lots of buses are plying to Munnar. It takes exactly three hours to reach Munnar. The border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala state is at the Bodi Mettu (Mettu – top view point) which is exactly in the middle distance between Theni and Munnar. The hills and valley view on the way to Munnar is very breath taking. The serpentine and meandering road is really living monument to human effort to transform nature for its own uses and the ability of the humankind to continuously wage war with nature.

Having arranged to live in a particular relatives’ house it was not a problem to reach the house on the by an auto rickshaw. No sooner we had lunch at 2.30 hours there was sever downpour for next two hours. Therefore, we could not move out of the house.
· Eravikulam (Rajamalai) National Park:[1] 45 mins from Munnar. See Nilgiri Thar (Hemitragas hylocres) - an endangered species of mountain goats, rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97 sq km in the Rajamalai hills, rare flora and fauna, Atlas moth (largest in the world), lion-tailed macaque, leopards, tigers, The Kurichi or Neelakurinji Flowers turn the hills of Rajamalai blue every 12 years. The next bloom will be in 2018. One can actually debate if going to the high peak just to see some goats is worth all the effort or not. However, the walk along the park is very romantic and has some breath taking view.
· Anamudi Peak inside Eravikulam National Park: The highest peak (2695 m) south of the Himalayas, towers over the sanctuary in majestic pride. The slopes of the hills abound in all kinds of rare flora and fauna. The Atlas moth, the largest of its kind in the world, is a unique inhabitant of the park. Other rare species of fauna found here are the Nilgiri Langur, the lion-tailed macaque, leopards, tigers, etc. An ideal place for trekking, facilities are provided here and tourists are allowed to go on foot up to Anamudi.
· Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary,[2].
· Mattupetti Dam - 10km from Munnar, this popular picnic spot activities like boating and horse riding and is a great place to spend the day especially if visiting with children.
· Mattupetti Indo-Swiss Farm - Better known as Mattupetti (cattle village), Tamil migrant labourers had once upon a time reared cattle here. The cool climate and abundance of fodder made it the ideal location for the Indo-Swiss dairy farm. Established in 1961, the Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB) manages this highly specialised dairy farm. The dairy farm is a unique one of its kind with more than 100 varieties of high-yielding cattle being reared.


Echo Point
· Echo Point - 15km from Munnar, on the way to top station from Munnar is a small lake set amidst rolling hills. Every loud call made from a spot on the lake embankment is returned manifold by the echo from the surrounding hills. Young tourists throng to this place to listen to the echoes of their friendship calls.
· Top Station, [3]. 37km from Munnar on the Kerala and Tamil Nadu border, has great views of the Western Ghats. Top station is the "top"-tourist attraction. This place gives a real 'above the clouds' experience. Regular buses go to Top Station (1 hr) from Munnar. A jeep costs Rs 400. The area is known for the Neelakurunji plant, which flowers only once every twelve years. The flower is violet.
·
· Salim Ali (Thattekkadi) Bird Sanctuary, [4]. There are woodpeckers, Malabar gray hornbills, Ceylon frogmouths, parakeets, and rose-billed rollers. This sanctuary is located 20km from Kothamangalam on the road between Ernakulam and Munnar. There are basic and mid-range hotels in Kothamangalam and an Inspection Bungalow in Boothathankettu. You can take a boat cruise from Boothathankettu to Thattekkad. Admission Foreigners/Indian Rs 40/10.
water fall near Rajmala
· Marayoor - Around 40km from Munnar. It is the only place in Kerala with natural growth of sandalwood trees, natural caves with murals, and relics from Later Stone Age civilization. There is a sandalwood factory of the Forest Department of Kerala and a children's park extending across one hectare of land under the canopy of a single Banyan tree, all of which attract tourists in large numbers.
· Kolukkumalai Tea Estate - At a height of about 7130 ft, this orthodox tea factory lays claim to being one of the highest in the world. The view of the Western Ghats is absolutely enchanting.
· Blossom Garden - Houses many different varieties of flowers. Tourist will definitely take away good memories from this place.
· Water falls - Check out several natural waterfalls on the way to Munnar. These waterfalls carry fresh rain water. They provide an excellent place for all tourists to have photo shootout.
[edit] Do
· Walk in the Clouds - Trek to your hearts content while the clouds slowly descend upon you.
· Rock Climbing and Rappelling - Munnar has a steep rock face about 100ft.
· The Christ Church, in Old Munnar. The exteriors have worn out with time though the charming interiors still have a very nice ambiance. It was consecrated way back in 1910 and still has 14 original rows of pews. The first Catholic Church in the High Ranges was Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church.
· The High Range Club has a charming colonial style. The club house is built of wicker and teak and is the social hub for the tea "Planters" of the region. Members enjoy lounging in the bar over Planter's Punch followed by a good meal, a game of billiards or reading a book in the library.
· Munnar Supply Association (MSA) Set up in 1900, this is another nostalgic landmark worth visiting in Munnar. It is the oldest department store in the area and has been re-inventing itself to stay relevant and popular after almost 102 years. The store was run by "planters" who still manage its affairs. The MSA is a red brick red tiled building with gables, buttresses and a porch and is now a heritage site.
· Boating There are several places to go out for boating in Munnar. One can choose among peddle boats, speed boats to Kashmiri-Shikara. Young couples who travel to Munnar should not miss-out on the beautiful 'Kashmiri-Shikara' boat ride. It is one of the most romantic experiences.
Buy
The best things to buy are Tea, coffee and spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and pepper.
· Munnar Fancy, INTUC Building, GH Road, Munnar, Kerala, India - 685612. Ph:91-4865-232554 , Leo Gift House, D.M.Samuel & Sons , DMS Jewellery , Marakkar Shopping Centre Rahim Book Stall, Tel : 91-486-2530759 , DTPC stall, Tel: 91-486-2530682. Good for spices. Sunny Traders, Tel: 91-486-2530476. A tea shop.
· Shakthi Hills Computers,kanthalloor, Tel : 04865246444. Computer Stationary
[edit] Banks/Currency Exchange
· State Bank of Travancore, Tel: 91-486-2530274, State Bank of India, Munnar Tel : 91-486-2530381, State Bank of Travancore, Devikulam Tel : 91-486-2564234.
Eat
· TreeTop Restaurant, Autumn Trees in Devikulam,A Multi-cusine restaurant having 70 person seating capacity.Vegetarian food & Non-Vegetarian food available. Ph; 04865 264273, 264399 [5], Silverspoon restaurant, Munnar inn, Food Court, Munnar inn, [6] Saravana Bhavan - Right at the heart of town is the most inexpensive places to eat. The service here is quick and the food is absolutely DELICIOUS. But one has to be accommodating when eating at Sarvana Bhavan. You might have to share your table with others. This place provides south Indian dishes, served on a Banana leaf. Mahavir Jain Restaurant - Provides authentic North-Indian food. Meals at Mahavir Jain restaurant is a total hit. They provide meals ranging from Gujarati-meals to Punjabi-Meals. One cannot stop eating the delicious rotis at this place. However, compared to other restaurant, this places it slightly expensive. Meals start from Rs. 75/-
You can have tea and coffee from street side shops
BUDGET
· AUTUMN TREES RESORTS, [[[Devikulam, Munnar (Tarrif Rs.950 -2500) PHONE +91-4865-264273, [7] KASHMEERAM Resort, [8]. Kaippallil Resort Home stay, [9]. Royal Retreat, Munnar, [10]. Hotel Hill view, [11], 1km from Munnar. Munnar Inn, [12]. Edassery Eastend, [13]. Issac's Residency, +91-4865-230501/502/503, [14]. Highrange Inn, [15]. Elysium Gardens, [16]
[edit] Mid-range
· Hotel Westwood Riverside, [17], 1km from Munnar Town. Blackberry Hills, [18], 3 km from Munnar. Deshadan Mountain Resort, [19], 5km from Munnar. Copper Castle, Pothamedu Road, 2km from Munnar, [20]. Autumn Trees Resorts, Devikulam, Munnar(Tarrif Rs.800-1900)PHONE +91-4865-264273 / +91-4865-264399, E-mail:info@autumntreesmunnar.com, [21].
· Hotel Anai Mudi, [22], Munnar - Marayoor Route. Chancellor Resort, [23]. Chinnakkanal (22 kms. from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar). The Siena Village, [24]. Chinnakkanal (20 kms. from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar) Hotel Oak Fields, [25], Pothamedu (5km from Munnar). Camp Noel, [26], Pazhathottam, Munnar Camelot, 10 km from Munnar, - if you are traveling in your own vehicle then Camalot is a good choice. you need to drive 2 KM off road to reach the resort, which is fun. however if you are new to driving, leave your car at the entrance and ask the owner to pick you up from there. pack your food in town as the choice of food at resort is limited [27]. Bracknell forest, [28], Pothamedu (7km from Munnar).
Splurge
· Tall Trees, [29]. Pothamedu, 4km from Munnar.
· Best Western Fort Munnar, [30]. Chinnakkanal (22 kms from Munnar Town).
· Club Mahindra Lakeview Resort, [31]. Chinnakkanal (20 kms. from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
· Tea County, [32]. Munnar. Windermere, Bison Valley Road, outskirts Munnar, [33].
· Camp Noel, [34], Pazhathottam, Munnar.
Contact
· Main Post Office, Tel : 91-486-2530280.
Emergency numbers
· Police control room: 100 / Fire station: 101 / Ambulance: 101
Cope
Ayurvedic Treatment / Massage
· Swatic Ayur Care Centre , tel. -91-9447031656, 91-4865-231656,230395.
· Surya Ayurvedic Health Resorts, Chithirapuram, tel. 91-486-2563204.
Stay safe
Apply sun block lotion while you leave Munnar because as you descend the hills the weather gets warmer and causes sun burn.
Hospitals
· Tata General Hospital, Munnar Tel : 91-486-2530270
· Matha Hospital , Munnar Tel : 91-486-2530744
· Arun Hospital, Munnar Tel : 91-486-2530410
Get out
The nearest places of tourist interest are Thekkadi (wild life sanctuary), Kumuli Falls, Kodaikanal on the Tamil Nadu and Nilambur, wyanad and kuttanad on the Kerala side.

NJO REACH OUT NEWS LETTER
APRIL 2009 VOLUME 5.4

The fourth issue for the year 2009 and 42nd from inception is in your hands. NJO REACH OUT wishes those NJO staff whose Birthdays and Wedding Anniversaries fall during April 2009.
New Railway Board Chairman:
Shri S S Khurana, an officer of 1971 batch of IRSEE has taken over as the new chairman of the Railway Board, New Delhi. Prior to the present position, he was the Member Staff Railway Board, New Delhi. He brings in various talents as he had earlier worked in RDSO Lucknow, CPM Railway Electrification Ambala, ADRM Dhanbad, DRM Adra (SER), CEE of CORE Allahabad, AGM N F Rly, GM E Rly, GM E Co Rly. Source: The Indian Railways March 2009.
New Member Staff Railway Board, New Delhi.
Shri A K Goyal, an officer of 1973 batch of IRTS has taken over as the New Member Staff Railway Board, New Delhi. Prior to the present position, he was the Additional Member Commercial Railway Board, New Delhi. He brings in various talents as he had earlier worked as ADRM Lucknow, DRM Mughalsarai, Com of N Rly, Adviser (PM) Railway Board Source: The Indian Railways March 2009.
Inauguration of Third Rail Coach Factory:
Chairperson of UPA Smt Sonia Gandhi launched the construction work in the presence of Honorable Railway Minister Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav at Raebareli, UP. The new factory will be located in a sprawling 522 hectares at the cost of Rs 1685 Crores and would generate 7000 to 8000 jobs during construction and operation directly and indirectly. Source: The Indian Railways March 2009.
Impressive Interim Budget For 2009
The Budget Estimates for Freight, Passenger, Sundry Earnings and Other Coaching are Rs 59059 Crores, Rs 25000 Crores, Rs 6000 Crores and Rs 3000 Crores respectively. Total Gross Receipt projected is Rs 93159 Crores exceeding the Revised Estimates for the current year by Rs 10766 Crores. The Budget Estimates for the Ordinary Working Expenses are at Rs 83600 Crores, the Cash Surplus before the dividend would be Rs 18847 Crores, and the Operating Ratio is expected to be at 89.95 %. The Interim Budget presented for the fiscal year 2009-10 is a reducing budget rather than an inflation budget. The fares for AC CHAIR CAR, AC II TIER, AC III TIER AC I CLASS are reduced at 2 % to 10 %. For the consecutive fifth year the fares and freights are reduced to achieve the Corporate Goal of safe and convenient journey at affordable cost. Source: The Indian Railways March 2009.
The 1005th wagon rolls out of GOC shops:
The Railway Workshop Southern Railway Golden Rock achieved the unique distinction of rolling out 1005 wagons in a fiscal year, with the dispatch of the 16th rake of Bogie Low Platform Containers (BLC) wagons. Shri Rakesh Chopra the GM Southern Railway flagged off through video conferencing form Chennai on Monday 30th March. Shri V Carmelus, CME in his presidential address declared that the indentor Ms/ CONCOR announced a Cash prize of Rs 20 Lakhs for GOC shops. Source: The Hindu 31st March 2009
Conversion of MG diesel locomotive to BG locomotive:
In an impressive effort, the staff and officers of GOC shop have successfully converted an MG diesel locomotive to BG locomotive. It would be used for shunting purposes.

40 Glorious Years of Rajdhani Express: It may be recalled way back in 1969 the first set of coaches for the prestigious Rajdhani Express rolled out of ICF. Till now these coaches serve as benchmark in coach production. To mark the 40th anniversary of the event a special new release was made in “The Hindu” on 3rd April.

NJO/PER:
After an avalanche of transfers there was a lull in NJO/PER. Again in the new year of 2009 Shri B Ilangovan, DYFA&CAO/W is transferred to CN/MS and in his place Shri A Govindarajan previously Sr DFM/PGT has joined. NJO REACHOUT extends a warm welcome and wish to the outgoing officer and the incoming officers all the very best.

Smt Reena Ranjan FA&CAO/S&W/PER is proceeding on long leave and in her place Smt Sujatha Jayaraj of the 1983 IRAS batch officer has joined. She is not new to NJO/PER. She had earlier worked as DY FA&CAO/W in the early 1990s. NJO REACHOUT extends a warm welcome and wishes to the outgoing officer and the incoming officer all the very best. A farewell to the outgoing officer was held on the 1st April at the Nilgiri Sabha Griha on behalf of the staffs. Shri M J J Jayaraj, DY FA&CAO/S and Shri A Govindarajan, DY FA&CAO/W, and host of officers and staffs attended the meeting. Two mementos were presented to the officer on behalf of the staffs. Madam recalled that when she was posted to this office, many discouraged her. However, she came with full confidence and saw an efficient office with dedicated staff and officers. She recalled with pride that even when there were too many transfers, the official work was not at all hampered. That reflected the efficiency and the co-operation of staff and officers.

Railway Week: The month of April is so special for the Indian Railways. Within a short span of twenty eight years after the first train between Darlington – Stockton in England was run on 24th June 1825, the first railway line in India covering a 34 Kilometers between Boribunder( Bombay) and Thane was opened to traffic on 16th April ,1853. It was the fruition of ten years of efforts of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway that was incorporated in England by an Act of the Parliament on 1st August, 1849. A small seed was sown on April 16, 1853 when three locomotives SULTAN, SAHIB and SIND hauled a small passenger train of 400 and odd passengers on joy ride from Bombay to Thane. This heralded the beginning of railways in India. It may look like a small event to day but the Indian Railways owe their natal ties to that humble beginning.
SHORT STORY: THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
There was a young man in the United States of America. He was one of the pioneers of the industry. He worked like a monster and never used to rest. He wanted to convert every minute of his life on earth into dollars. At the age of 33 he earned his first million dollars. Within the next ten years at the age of 43 he was one of the richest men in the world and a billionaire. To achieve the dizzying heights, he lost the hairs on his head, eyebrows and eyes. His weekly earnings were million dollars. However, he could only munch soft biscuits and milk. He was advised by his doctors against any other food. He never loved any one. He was cruel with his employees and competitors. The oil wells of Pennsylvania still cry out against his cruelty. People who were thrown out by him hanged his effigy publicly. That was the anger the people had for him. Yet he was one of the richest men of the world. When he attained the age of 53, his doctors advised him that probably he would not live to see his next birthday. The fear of death tortured him. He spent sleepless nights in his bed.

He realized none of his dollar could save his life from the cruel jaws of death. His death was certain. He realized that money is not a matter to be saved but to be spent on the welfare of the needy and the poor. One fine morning he called his attorneys to launch a global foundation to help the people in need, the poor, the desolate children, and the lowly persons without a meal. A huge part of his millions of dollars were diverted for charity, foundation and missionary works all over the world. His acts of charities knew no boundaries. Those are a legion.

Instead of cursing and condemnation, he started receiving blessings, love, prayers and wishes and good tidings from all sorts of people from all over the world. His health greatly improved. He became a normal man. He ate normal meal. He slept well. He loved every one. He responded to any act of kindness. His doctors were amazed at the speed of his recovery. He realized that the more you give the double than that one would receive. He became the living example for the saying. His act of charity increased his life span from 53 years to 98 years. That was the blessing of the Lord to any one who gives happily. The man was none other than Mr. John D Rockefeller, founder of the Rockefeller Foundation.
FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY
www.gracemugil-pothigai.blogspot.com

MANGO CHASE IN THE RAILWAY COLONY
T X Gnanaraj
Many years ago, Peter a little and mischievous boy lived in Golden Rock, the bustling railway township in Trichy, which was the head quarters of the erstwhile South Indian Railway (SIR) a company-operated railway in those days. Trichy is famous for the rock cut temple. The legend says somewhere in the early 4th century (CE), that the saints of the Jain religion lived in abundance in and around Trichy and they were part of the “palli” – meaning a congregation and school for Jin “savants” and students.

However the legend of Golden Rock is altogether different. The very justification for the township is the sprawling workshop at Golden Rock. The legend has it that when the British (Railway) officers went for tiger hunting near the hillock (Ponmalai) they found chunk of gold under a dead tiger. So the name Golden Rock was derived – “Pon Malai” in vernacular. The massive and large workshop stood impressively employing thousands of workers of varying races, religions, communities, language groups, regions of Tamil Nadu and various States. The Armory Gate at the main entrance is a landmark. The sirens – call for the workers to attend workshop would be made at 6.30 am, 6.55 am and 7.00 am for the morning session to begin the work. Again in the afternoon at 11.30 am to close the morning session. In the evening the sirens used to blare at 12.30 pm and 4.30 pm. Most of the residents in the railway townships used to know the time only with the blaring of the sirens, as the wearing a wristwatch was a luxury in those days.

The railway town ship was a veritable fairy castle for Peter. Whatever may be the demerits of the British rule, the biggest merit was their concern for education of the wards of railway employees. Not only had they thought of the wards of the Eurasian railway employees but also the native employees. Hence they started English and vernacular medium schools in large towns like Madurai, Villupuram, Trichy, Jolarpettai, Arakkonam, Jolarpettai, Palakkad, Podanur, Chennai in the Southern Railway zone. The railway township was full of various types of quarters depending upon the rank and file of the employees. While the non gazetted staff and artisan staff resided right form the A type, B type, C type, D type, to F type, the gazetted lived in the G and H types. He could tell the details right from the North D type on the one end and the G type on the other end. The walls of the workshop extended to such a large area. In between these quarters, large parks were located. These parks maintained remarkably by the administration provided the lung space for the employees and their families. These parks had all play items like see saw, slide, swing, etc for the children. In the evenings these parks would be crowded with children.
Come month end come the retirement processions with horses, bullock carts and some times even elephants leading the procession with the retired persons. In those days, longevity was not as high as of now. So retiring from the railway service after 58 years i.e. a minimum number of 35 years service was really considered as a great blessing. Indeed it was worth celebrating. Generally the retired persons would be presented with a walking stick with a silver top handle. To watch the retired persons with the walking stick proudly in their hands beaming with smile and mirth and with too many garlands around their neck was really captivating. Some of their younger colleagues would be dancing in full sprit. Normally there would be lunch distributed to every one inside the workshop or sweets not chocolates which was considered as luxury, were distributed. When the grand procession consisting of colleagues, friends and union representatives, relatives reaches home the sweet home, there was another grand dinner was waiting for them. That would remind us of a grand feast. The sons and daughters-in-law, daughters and sons-in-law, host of grand children would be having a grand dinner. Some affluent retirees would erect “pandals” like the marriage pandals and with colourful serial lights. Of course not without the blaring horns of cone shaped speakers loudly playing the MGR and Sivaji Ganesan songs from the gramophone records. It could be seen that the little boys used to dance in the open are near the pandal. In case the dinner was ful of meat, a host of dogs would be lurching around and the little rascals used chase them with varieties of stones. Definitely, the retirement function at home was a costly affair yet no one was averse to them as after all the oldies were having a real rest tike after so many years of hard work. One the same day the father retires, the son would be making arrangement to retain the railway quarters in his name. That was so common those days. It was a costly affair to think of owning a house in towns like Ponmalai. So the workers solved the crucial housing issue in a simple manner. By merely getting appointment to one of the sons or wards, the quarters would remain with them. No one was willing to part with railway quarters with varieties of trees mango and plantain and sometimes coconut trees and many flowering plants. Peter knows that there are some families live in the railway quarters for three to four generations ie for more than sixty to seventy years. That speaks of the strong houses built by the British for their workforce and the continued maintenance. Those were the past glory of PonMalai railway quarters.
The British probably thought that the physical health as well as mental health was required for the wards and their parents. The schooling is either free or with nominal fees along with uniforms. As a result, employees were relieved from worrying where to keep their children for education. That really had increased the productivity of the employees. Besides, in those days the women folk of the railway employees were illiterate or semi literate. The British did not want the women to while away their time. The administration established handicraft centers for cutting and stitching the uniforms for the employees and the railway school children. That kept the women folk occupied and eliminated the idle mind from them.

Moreover, the British believed in the all round development of the mind and body of the railway employees and their wards. They established divisional and sub divisional and health units in divisions, sub/extra divisions, and remote areas. The present day Primary Health Centers of the State Health Dept are poor comparison to those health units. They are the predecessors for these Primary Health Centers. Thus wherever large railway establishments were established, one hospital or health unit was started. Golden rock being a location for a sprawling workshop, a major hospital existed there just in front of the railway workshop. For peter and his friends it would be an expedition to go around the hospital. Many times peter and his friends used to enter the hospital under the pretext of seeing Mrs. Pereira mother of Basil or some times they were forced to go to hospital for “throat touch” a medication those days to cure throat infection – now defunct.
Peter was fortunate enough to go around the entire hospital, as his uncle had been admitted there for a prolonged period. His uncle Antonyswamy worked as Goods train Guard in the Southern Railways. To Peter the doctors with a long half sleeved white coats and stethoscope, the nurses in lily white gowns and knee length stockings, the ward boys with a short white caps, the “ayahs” with white sarees with blue double borders, the tablet racks, the long steel syringes, the bandage clothes, intravenous liners, white cots with green or red woolen blankets, the aroma of medicine etc were all totally new to him. Besides doctors told Peter’s mother that Antonyswamy was very sick and may probably die and advised her to the nearby church to pray for him. At that time his uncle was kept on the support of many tubes for breathing, for feeding, for urine output etc. that sight really frightened him and still it is embedded in his mind. Sometimes, he woke up in the middle of the night and would loudly cry. Luckily the round the clock attention of the doctors and the paramedical staff and above all the prayers of so many people including the fervent prayers of his mother, his uncle was retrieved from the cruel jaws of death. Literally peter was thankful to the doctors and paramedical staff more than to God.

Peter knew every detail of the pits and mounds along the walls as the lines in his palm. He also knew the way to “chinna”(small) park, “periya”(big) park and finally the “yaanai” (elephant) park. These were the three parks located from the main entrance at the Armory Gate till the G (officers’) quarters. The “china” park refers to the park near the armory gate, the “periya” park refers to the park near the electric transformer & the bridge and the “yaanai” park refers to the park near the G type (officers’) quarters.

Peter and his friends were interested in playing hide and seek near his house, located in the F type a bullock cart stand (“vandi” stand block) was there. The ritual of hide and seek game would start at the dusk and go on till 7 pm or until mother of any of the boys give a nasty call. The structure of the blocks were quadrangle on the three sides blocks of houses and one side plain area was very useful for the boys to play the game on a wide area. After one volunteer goes and counts one to ten under a lamp post, all other boys used to go hiding in various houses or near the fences, or behind the houses etc. The volunteer had to go around quickly and must find out the other boys. Sometimes it would be very difficult to hide as some of the boys silently went in to toilets.

For playing the hide and seek game, Peter and his friends would run block after block in the F type. While running they could not resist the temptation of the small and ripe mangoes. Even while playing hide and seek the boys had their weapons in tact. The inseparable weapon of the boys was the “catapult” which the Anglo Indian friends of Peter used to call “shooting rubber”.

Afternoons of Saturdays and Sundays were the apt time for playing hide and seek when most of the parents and elders would be snoring away their time. Some elders would be wide awake to watch the little rascals like Peter and his company jeering, shouting, booing, and running like an army company on retreat. The elders also would know that the little devils not only would disturb the tranquility of the holy afternoons but also invariably indulge in mango shooting with their terrible “catapult”. Indeed the “catapult” was a terrible weapon in the hands of these little rascals. They were used not only to shoot the mangoes but also the “oonaans” , the garden lizards. The pebbles in the case to mangoes and the iron pieces in the case of lizards were ammunition for the shooting. The pebbles hit the mango accurately and the mangoes would be shared equally among the wandering little rascals.

Another pastime for the boys was playing marbles in the vast tract of land between the railway quarters’ blocks. Every block of quarters would have a gang of boys and it was very difficult to penetrate such gangs. In case of any trouble or gang war the entire gang would rally up with the affected boy. Such was the solidarity among the gangs. Purchase of marble was entirely an interesting affair itself. Each one would be very secretive not to reveal the source or shop from where the marbles were purchased. Some marbles are strong and sturdy while some are not so hard and enduring.
Also the magnificent Railways Institute stood where Peter and his friends would sneak to watch the Ballroom Dance conducted in connection with some Anglo Indian functions like New Year, Christmas, somebody’s birthday, some wedding anniversary and marriages were held. There would be heavy scramble and competition to stand near the window to peep and watch the Anglo Indian couples swinging to drums and music. Peter always liked the “biriyani” (delicious food prepared with lot of spices and meat) distributed during such dance schedules. He, some how used to get a portion of the “biriyani” from his Anglo Indian friends especially from Joan who was very fond of him.

The houses in the railway township would invariably have a mango tree, a drumstick tree and a few plantain trees. Probably the mango and drumstick trees were the secret reason for high rate of birth in the railway colonies. For the first time the people from many states, many castes and communities speaking many languages, started to live together. It was a wonderful experience for Peter. Dravida Mani, Srinivasan alias Seenu, Sampathkumar alias Sampth, Mohanarangam alias Mohan were some of his friends. Peter also had some girl friends. Emelda, Vanaja, Kalaichelvi, Kalyani were his friends too.

Hey stop! The railway township was multi lingual, multi regional, multi religious, and multi racial too. So nothing prevented Peter to become friendly with the boys and girls of the Anglo Indian community. Peter was friendly with Kevin Wood, Ralph Fernandez, Joan Pereira, Sandra Brian and others. Some of them even walk with him up to the Tamil medium Railway school and take part ways to their English medium railway school at the far end of the quarters near the Pon Malai.

Indian Railways is the pioneers in providing quality primary and higher education to the wards of railway employees. With this lofty aim, the railways have established numerous primary, secondary, high schools and higher secondary schools to provide liberal education both in English as well as vernacular. In southern railways alone there were atleast seventeen schools. These schools not only facilitated the wards of the railway employees but also the students from non-railway employees. Two such schools are located in Golden Rock. One is an English medium school and the other was Tamil – vernacular medium school. However both the schools existed in a sprawling campus adjacent to the Golden Rock “Pon malai”. The number of students both girls and boys in Tamil Medium school was far too greater than those in the English medium school.

Peter was in the Railway Mixed Multi Purpose High School for only three years from 6th Std to 8th Std. the Tamil medium school was located in three different places. While the primary sections 1st Std to 3rd Std near the Armory Gate, 4th Std to Std 6th stood near the “china” park and the 7th Std to 11th was located near the Golden Rock along with the English medium school. He could remember some of his teachers Shri Abraham, Smt Ganga Bhai, Smt Amala Bala Chander, Shri Ayyalu, Shri Nelson the terrible PT master, Shri Kalyanaraman, Shri Davis, and

Another past time for the boys was flying the kites. The month of February is the ideal time for flying kites, as the winds are soft and salubrious. The large ground on the way to the Pon Malaipatti Bus stand, near the F type became handy for Peter and his friends. There would be variety of kites. Some made out of newspapers, glass papers, and color papers. Some are even strange shaped kites revealing the creativity of the individual.

The work of making the strong thread would begin immediately after the Pongal - makara Sankaranthi (harvest) festival. Boys used to scramble to collect variety of ingredients for making a strong thread. Broken glass pieces, home made gums, yellow powder, etc would be applied on the ordinary thread to make it stronger. That was done to indulge in “deal” meaning cutting the thread of other kites while kites afloat. One needs special tactics to make his kite fly at the highest point in the sky and also skillfully cut the thread of the other kites. There would be verbal and some times even physical duals on the strife. Boys of the same block use to make a gang and each gang would spring to support in case the thread of any of the kits flown by members of their gang. There used to be betting also among various gangs.

Peter was very particular to accompany his mother to the Sunday market – “shandy” it was called by the Europeans. Every Sunday morning till late in the evening the huge ground would be full of all grocery, vegetables, cookies, utensils, clothes, fowls and hens, goats, halwa (a north Indian sweet made of wheat flour, ghee and white sugar it comes as a sticky paste and tongue lashing taste) and sherbet.

The secret behind his voluntarism to accompany his mother to the Sunday market was the “rose milk” priced at 4 anas (an ana contained six paise and one rupee consisted 12 anas even today the words kaal ana, ettana are in vogue while the kaal ana is today’s 25 paise coin and the ettana is today’s 50 paise coin). He would first remind his mother on the previous day when she goes to church (St Joseph’s Church – dedicated to the workers’ patron saint St Joseph, a carpenter by profession, foster father of Jesus Christ) for the Saturday novena. “ Amma tomorrow I would come to market with you and you will get me rose milk”. His mother would immediately agree that she would definitely get him rose milk.

Peter was content with the rose milk – the pink colored drink with the seeds of one herb “sabja”, the lingering taste of it in his tongue while some of his companions would check in at the “badam halwa” stall. Two or three “badam halwa” stalls used to be there. Each shop would exhibit a huge life-size photographs of wresting champions – some even said the person was non other than “Bhima” the wrestler brother of Arjuna one of the chief protagonists of the great epic Mahabharat. Peters’ friends would buy halwa for 4 annas and immediately after eating would like to twist their hind arms muscles and boast with their companions.

Another place Peter would like to go with his mother was the Syndicate Bank near the Railway cinema theatre. Since there were little private players in the field of entertainment in the railway quarters’ area, the Southern Railway itself had cinema theatre near the accounts office (SAO/W&S/GOC). When Peter’s father was working in Guntakal, Peter and his family lived in Ponmalaipatti a village cum town on the edge of the Golden rock railway quarters. Peter had never seen a bank until his mother asked him one day to accompany her to the bank. Peter had no idea about a bank. On entering the bank he saw people queuing up to deposit or withdraw money.

When he asked his mother what she was doing in the bank. She explained to him that his father would send money through the same bank in Guntakal and the money would be deposited in her name in the bank in Golden rock. She would withdraw money to meet the family expenses. Peter went around the bank premises with inquisitive mind. At that time itself he planned that the very next day he would share with his classmates his experience at the bank. Peter could not still understand how the money deposited by his father at Guntakal would be reaching the bank in Golden Rock. The same doubt he had also whenever the postman used to deliver some money to some families instead of letters. Anyhow he made up his mind to share the experience.

Peter was studying in the 5th standard at the St Agnes Higher Elementary School, Ponmalaipatti. The congregation of sisters of Servite of Mary Immaculate ran it. Peter could never forget the school as joyous days at the school still lingers his mind. Though he studied there for only four years, the impression made by his school was very deep.

Peter was very weak in mathematics – anyhow, he learnt that almost 90 percent of students are weak in mathematics. To his annoyance the mathematic teacher always used to ask questions, tables, memory mathematics only with Peter. Many times he was humiliated. The mathematics teacher -to rub salt to the wound- used to call Peter’s younger sister who was two years junior to him to teach mathematics in front of the entire class. Peter used to hate such humiliating situations. The only solace for Peter was, after all it was his own sister and not some other girls to add injury to the insult.

One day after the school was over some boys were playing with the wooden fences – palisades. Without knowing the implication, Peter joined them and enjoyed throwing the palisades here and there. Lo, suddenly, the HM (nun sister) came in to the scene and the elderly boys just took to their heels and vanished leaving behind only Peter and his friend Sukumar to be caught red handed by the HM (nun sister). Both of them were perplexed and did not know what to do and they were wondering why the senior boys just ran away and vanished. They could not understand that throwing unused and dismantled palisades would be such a crime in the school campus. The HM told the boys to bring their parents the next day before the start of the school assembly.

During the assembly the next day Peter’s mother and Sukumar’s mother were present. After the initial prayers, the HM sister called upon Peter and Sukumar to come stand near the flag mast. Peter and Sukumar were in jitters and wondering what is going to happen to them for the “offence” they have done. To everyone’s surprise and to the surprise of the mothers of Peter and Sukumar, the HM sister, stated that it was a shameful thing to damage the palisades in the school for the senior boys and left the junior and innocent boys to face the HM the other day. She warned that unless the seniors on their own come forward and accept responsibility she would remove the boys from the school. One by one the seniors ventured out and stood in front of every body with their heads hung deep in to their chest. The HM sister was kind enough to absolve the seniors and warned them that any recurrence would prompt their dismissal from the school.

The punishment for any serious offence is to carry the bricks up to the second floor of a building under construction. The number of bricks would vary according to the offence and the class. However, that would be trivial compared to the joyful moments he spent in the school. He vividly remembered the day he was admitted in to the school by his elder sister since his father was busy with the work and his mother could not come to the school. His elder sister told him “Peter you should join this school so that along with all of us you could come to school”. “You would get “pall” (milk) powder twice in a week” Peter had only tasted the milkmaid condensed milk brought home by his grandfather but he had not tasted the milk powder offered at the school. Only on tasting the milk powder Peter realized the taste even surpassed his “Sunday market ambrosia – Rose milk. No body can explain the taste of the milk powder. Later Peter came to know that the milk powder and broken wheat were received free from the USA through CARITAS – a social welfare Organization of the Roman Catholic Church.

Petrified, the senior boys quietly came forward and stood in silence. The HM sister said the she appreciated the juniors i.e. Peter and Sukumar, who on seeing the HM sister, did not run away but stood there to explain. She could judge they were after all innocent yet she wanted the seniors to understand the mistake of throwing the blame on the juniors on detection and wanted them to accept the responsibility voluntarily. Peter had learnt a lesson that day which he ever practiced thereafter. He would always appreciate and forgive person who accept the responsibility for goofing and own up moral responsibility.

Peter had a classmate by name Sukumar. He was very short and puny in stature. He was very timid and shy. One day Peter had told him that there was a huge vulture sitting atop the school roof and it likely to lift him when he went home in the evening. He forgot what he told Sukumar and took it as a childish prank. He left home as soon as the last bell rang. When he went to school the next day he learnt that Sukumar was having high fever and the reason was that some one in the class frightened him that a giant vulture would lift him when he would return to home. Fortunately, Sukumar did not reveal who frightened him. Peter heaved a sigh of relief. God had saved him really Peter thought.

Peter like any of his age group boys used to boast his lineage greatly to his friends. It was true that in his native village in Tirunelveli his maternal grandfather had vast track of lands and was considered as the ipse facto leader of the village. He had traveled to Malaysia, Singapore, Ceylon in those days, as there was no need of passport, visa. The entire south Asia was under the British Empire. Similarly, his paternal grandfather was a teacher in the Penang Free School, Penang, Malaysia and he died and was buried there. Peter told his classmates that his grandfather had vast tracks of land and in it some forests, meadows, hillock were also included. Further he said that wild animals used to roam freely in his grandfather’s jungles. Another grandfather, who was in the Indian army, went for hunting in those jungles. His classmates listened to the stories Peter used to spin, took him seriously and believed whatever he said.

Further, Peter’s another maternal grandfather Mr Ratnam, was a Non Commissioned Officer in the Indian army. He had joined the army during the World War II and visited Peter’s home during vacations. Mr Ratnam was a Subedhar Major and during the World War II he had fought along the with the military personnel of the allied nations (British, American and Russian) in Saigon, Vietnam, on the banks of river Irawati, Rangoon, Burma, in the deep jungles of Cambodia, in the hilly terrain of the Chiang Mai , Thailand etc. Whenever, he made a visit to Peter’s house he used to bring a large black colour trunk box containing tins of condensed milk, clothes, chocolates and other gifts. Peter was least interested in such “childish” items.

Peter used to admire the two guns his grandfather brought with him. One was a single barrel gun and the other was double barrel gun issued by the army. Sometimes Peter tried to lift one of the guns. His grandfather used to laugh at him. His grandfather, during the vacations, went for hunting to the forests near Tiruverumbur, those days a small forest with wild pigs, udumbu, flamingos, cranes ( naarai, kokku), water birds ( naarai, ullan etc). The BHEL’s Boiler Plant started with the cooperation of Czechoslovakia today stands majestically along with the National Institute of Technology (formerly Regional Engineering College, Trichy). Those days even the employees of BHEL declined to live in the newly built two storey quarters in fear of burglary and attack by wild animals.

When his grandfather, went for hunting sometimes he used to take Peter with him. His grandfather always went for hunting with his full army uniform with the medals etc full paraphernalia. Peter used to wonder why on earth his grandfather was wearing the army uniform which he considered irksome. One day as he went with his grandfather for hunting for the first time, the town bus stopped at the sign made by his grandfather. Peter had seen town buses stop only at the bus stop sometimes do not even stop. However, on seeing a person with full army uniform, the town bus driver stopped the bus. Peter realized the reason for his grandfather wearing the army uniform whenever he went for hunting.

Peter had his clothes stitched by Varghese tailor in Ponmalaipatti. Those days Varghese was a very famous tailor for stitching children as well as elders’ dresses. Paulose, son of Varghese tailor, was a classmate with Peter’s sister. For the first holy communion of Peter (a sacrament in the Catholic church when boys and girls reach the age of 10 or 11 they would be permitted to partake the holy body and blood of Christ in the form of host made of wheat and red wine) Peter’s father had stitched the clothes - white half pants and half sleeves shirt with a white bow with the help of Varghese the tailor. Till this day Peter would proudly show the photograph to every one including his children and grand children. Now the breed of tailors is on the wane as from old to young people prefer to wear readymade clothes. However Peter had never liked the ready made clothes, as they were irksome and over or undersized. Varghese’s tailor shop was located on the main road in Ponmlaipatti. During the evening Mani the baker would bring in his tricycle with a bell, coconut buns, biscuits, rusk, and other baked items. Peter would be invariably waiting for Mani to buy the tasty coconut bread. Before Mani visits a place the sweet fragrance of baked coconut bread would go and from the fragrance itself, every child would know that Mani is on his way. Udhaya sooriyan (rising sun), the hair saloon, was another place where Peter would frequent during leisure time. It was a hotbed of persons with various political leanings and the most important being the communists. Peter was not interested in politics as he was not aware what was what, but he used to go there to study the once famous and now defunct “soviet land” Tamil Magazine. He used to read it avidly the heroic stories of the development of the peoples of the Soviet Union, the news items on the science and technology, the developmental work, the stories of the various states of the Soviet Union like Girghistan, Azerbaijan, Bylo Russian, the essays on the education and schooling at soviet Russia, the children retreat at Kiev on the banks of Caspian sea, the dolls of the central Asian republics, Tashkent etc etc. it was a different world. Once he took the magazine there was no time for anything including food or water. Peter was slowly attracted to the humanism of the communism, though as a Christian he was taught to hate communism. At one point he even wanted to participate in the annual essay competition and go to Russia. He even dreamt of marrying a Russian girl and settle in Ukraine republic.

Once Peter and his parents were invited for a marriage at C type quarters. When they reached with some gifts (normally ever silver utensils which were a status symbol those days with the name of the donor engraved by a smith who normally sits at the entrance of the utensil shops), there were three houses were teaming with people and all the houses had huge plantain trees (it was a symbol of plenty and abundance and represent the generation of people according to folk lore and tradition) gorgeously tied at the entrance.

Those days there were no marriage halls and railway staff used to celebrate the marriages at the house itself due to spacious places available. Peter and his parents went in to the pandal (a shamiana type made out of coconut leaves and white clothes) and sat for dinner. Some one from the guests recognized Peter’s father and asked what he was doing here. Only then Peter and his parents realized their folly. They had gone to dine in another house instead of the house they intended to attend. Such identity crisis used to happen often in railway quarters. Thereafter some ingenious railway staff started keeping huge name boards out side the pandal indicating the name of the married couple.

Sometimes sad occasion too happened. One day Seenu annan, residing opposite to Peter’s house, met with an accident. The entire houses in the two blocks were stunned. Despite being a Saturday, no one looked happy. It was as if the entire movement of the world has come to a stand still. The whole day the boys’ gang never peeped out of the houses. No radio was heard. Only the men who went to the workshops were seen returning. Everyone was eager to know the status of Seenu annan who was admitted in the Government Hospital at Trichy town. Some one whispered that Seenu is likely to be shifted to Railway Hospital. Some clever boys ran to the house of Mrs Pereira who was a Matron at the Railway Hospital. Basil son of Mrs. Pereira told the boys that Mrs. Pereira had gone to hospital for duty and only on her return they would know the status of Seenu annan. By evening at 7 pm there was confirmed news that Seenu annan has been transferred to Railway hospital and he was indeed conscious. All the people in the two blocks heaved a big sigh. Some mothers, who were fasting without even drinking a drop of water from morning, finally broke their fast and started eating. Such was the explicit expression of solidarity and sympathy with the grieving family of Seenu annan. Every one was touched by the act of people and felt that the village spirit of concern and sympathy was evident and they were fortunate enough to live with such compassionate people. Some clever persons reminded it is not god who caused the solidarity but Indian railways and every one should be thankful to the Indian railways. Many more stories on the social life of the railway employees in the vast and greenly railway quarters exist in every nook and corner of this vast country where the railway network has expanded.