Then those routes ceased to be profitable, and the personnel were shifted to Vadodara. On paper, though, they continued to be headquartered at their previous postings. And then started bonanza time. For, under railway rules, they are entitled to travelling and dearness allowances commensurate with their pay-scales and postings for every minute they spend away from their HQ.

Thirty-two of them each squad comprises a chief ticket inspector, two travelling ticket inspectors, four head travelling ticket examiners, seven TTEs and two scalemen have been reaping the benefit of the railways' short-sightedness for the past five years.

And pretty generous benefits they are too: up to six hours' away from their HQ, they are supposed to get 30 per cent of the TA/DA; between six and 12 hours away, they get 70 per cent of the amount, and over 12 hours away, the can claim the full amount.

These conditions imply the staff have to prove they spent their weekly holiday at Dabhoi or Miyagam-Karjan. Since that doesn't call for a genius, the personnel concerned -- with one or two exceptions -- have moved to Vadodara a long time ago.

A senior railway employee, tongue firmly in cheek, describes the racket thus: ``Working in Vadodara ensures a bonus for them while resting in Dabhoi and Miyagam-Karjan gets them their salary.''

Though all checking squad personnel are entitled to TA/DA, the 32 are more equal than others. While Dabhoi and Miyagam are `C' class towns, Vadodara and Surat are `B' class towns. Since they operate on the latter route, they get more than others.

``They should either be merged with other squads or transferred to Vadodara'', says a railway employee, wondering how the accounts section has overlooked the irregularity so long.

According to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Manmohan Singh, only the Mumbai-based AGM (HQ) can decide on the issue. ``Neither I nor the DRM are authorised to merge or transfer the squads. If we write to them, it'll take years'', he says, while maintaining the squads were earning enough for the railways to cover their ``extra'' allowances.

``The loss isn't the railways'', he insists, while admitting the checking squads claim TA/DA for close to 25 days a month.

Interestingly, the Dabhoi and Miyagam squads' offices at Vadodara are sandwiched between the vigilance department and first class magistrate's room! Someone up there obviously loves them!