by: NavJeevan

Southern Railway GM leads Republic Day celebrations with patriotic fervour in Chennai

NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JAN 26

The Southern Railway celebrated the 75th Republic Day at the Railway Stadium, Perambur, Chennai with great zeal and patriotic fervour. General Manager RN Singh saluted during the March Past, unfurled the national flag, and greeted the railway community here on Friday.

Speaking at the Republic Day function after unfurling the tricolor, the GM spoke at length on various achievements of the Southern Railway. RN Singh, in his pep talk, said, “We have to take up the challenges to complete all planned developmental projects and capacity enhancement works on time. I am sure that we will, as usual, rise to the occasion and strive harder with renewed zeal and dedication to attain the desired goals.”

  • We have to take up the challenges to complete all planned developmental projects and capacity enhancement works on time: General Manager RN Singh
  • During 2023-24, up to date, Southern Railway has achieved gross revenue of Rs 9,482 crore, which is five per cent higher than the corresponding period last year
  • With the present trend of loading, Southern Railway is likely to achieve 41 million ton for the year 2023-24, which will be eight per cent more than the last year’s loading

Singh said, “During 2023-24, up to date, Southern Railway has achieved gross revenue of Rs 9,482 crore, which is five per cent higher than the corresponding period last year. In Passenger sector, we have registered a positive growth of eight per cent revenue.”

Continuing further, he said Southern Railway has loaded 32.24 million ton goods till date in 2023-24 and earned Rs 2,912 crore registering 8.2 per cent growth as against 29.801 million ton in 2022-2023.

“With the present trend of loading, Southern Railway is likely to achieve 41 million ton for the year 2023-24, which will be eight per cent more than the last year’s loading,” Singh said.

As regards the passenger trains, he said the Southern Railway has achieved the target of 90% punctuality.

This despite an increase in the originating passenger traffic by 13 per cent during the current year -578 million passengers as against 515 Million passengers during last year, Singh said.

According to Singh, Southern Railway has introduced seven pairs of Vande Bharat trains across Southern Railway running at maximum speed of 130 kmph.

“During festival season, we have operated about 90 Vande Bharat special trains over and above the regular ones. Southern Railway has run 56 Bharat Gaurav pilgrimage trains with modern LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches and converted 17 trains with LHB coaches during the year 2023 which have potential to run at a maximum speed of 130 kmph for reduction in travel time,” Singh said.

On the modernisation and redevelopment of important railway stations, Singh said works are progressing at fast pace at 13 stations namely Egmore, Katpadi, Puducherry, Madurai, Rameswaram, Kanniyakumari, Ernakulam Jn, Ernakulam Town, Kollam, Kozhikode and Varkala Sivagiri stations.

“Under the new policy, modernisation and upgradation of stations under “Amrit Station Scheme” is going on at 93 stations in Southern Railway and Phase I works have been planned for completion by March 24 for most of the stations,” Singh said.

Southern Railways has earned Rs.317.62 crore from scrap disposal this fiscal.

Speaking about the performance of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Singh said during 2023-24, about 600 offenders were arrested with the recovery of railway property of Rs.48 lakh and about 400 offenders were arrested with recovery of passenger belongings worth Rs.1.20 crore.

The RPF Team has also rescued about 1,215 runaway children and handed them over to the concerned civil authorities.

“Hawala money and gold/silver valued about Rs 15 crore were seized with the arrest of 43 persons. A total of 307 persons were arrested for possession of contraband articles like tobacco/liquor valued at Rs.15 crore. About 70,000 offenders were arrested under various sections of the Railways Act. With the swift action of RPF, the lives of 27 were saved from death,” Singh said.

GM Eswara Rao, Principal Chief Security Commissioner & IG, RPF; Kaushal Kishore, Additional General Manager, Principal Heads of Departments, other officers and staff of Southern Railway also participated in the celebrations.

Cultural programmes by the RPF, an impressive Dog Show by Southern Railway Dog Squad and performances by various departments, including the Railway schools and Ashraya school for special children, impressed all.

The Divisional Railway Managers of all the six divisions – B Viswanath Eerya, Chennai; Pankaj Kumar Sinha, Salem; Sharad Srivatsava, Madurai; MS Anbalagan, Tiruchchirappalli; Dr Manish Thaplyal, Thiruvananthapuram and Arun Kumar Chaturvedi, Palakkad unfurled the National Flag and participated in the Republic Day celebrations held in the respective divisions.

Chennai Division:

Tiruchchirappalli Division:

Salem Division:

Madurai Division:

Thiruvananthapuram Division:

Palakkad Division:

Amit Kumar Manuwal, Chief Administrative Officer, Railway Construction Organisation, Egmore; Samir Dighe, Chief Project Manager/Railway Electrification and Vijayanth Sahu, Member/Judicial, Railway Claims Tribunal unfurled the National flag at the respective Railway offices in Chennai.