Mechanical Department of SR bags Best Department Shield from Railway Board
By- INN/New Delhi, @Infodeaofficial
Every year, during the Railway Week Celebrations in the month of April, awards and shields are given away to various zones, divisions and staff of Indian Railways in recognition of their outstanding efforts made during the previous year.
This year, the Mechanical Department of Southern Railway has bagged the Best Department Shield declared by Railway Board. Shri. R. K. Kulshrestha, General Manager, Southern Railway and Shri. Shishir Dutt, Chief Workshop Engineer, Southern Railway received the award at the 63rd Railway Week Celebrations National Award function held in Bhopal on 16 April 2018.
The Shield was presented by Shri. Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways & Coal and Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in the presence of Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Union Minister of State of Railways.
The Mechanical Department of Southern Railway displayed immaculate performance during 2017-18.
On-Board House Keeping Services (OBHS) are presently available in 85 trains over Southern Railway. To ensure the supply of quality linen to AC passengers, two BOOT (Build, Operate and Transfer) laundries are operational at Basin Bridge and Kochuveli. Four more would be established to take care of 100% of linen supply in Southern Railway.65% of the coaches over Southern Railway are fitted with Bio-toilets.
All 6229 coaches of Southern Railway would be fitted with bio-toilets by this year-end. That’s not the end. Three special coaches have been refurbished for the “Heritage Steam Voyage” NMR Summer special trains. Two first-class coaches were refurbished at Golden Rock Workshop, Tiruchchirappalli and one SLR (Luggage cum Brake Van) coach at Mettupalayam Depot. The steam locos for this summer special is pooled from Coonoor Loco Shed, which has four steam locos in service.
Two pairs of Shatabdi Express trains operated by Southern Railway have been shortlisted by Ministry of Railways under Project ‘Swarn’ for renovation with improved passenger amenities, aesthetics and hygiene standards. The refurbishing of coaches is in progress in Chennai Central–Mysuru-Chennai Shatabdi Express and Chennai Central – Coimbatore – Chennai Central Shatabdi Express.
Double Decker Coaches (11 Nos.) were refurbished/ upgraded with the provision of Poly Vinyl Wrapping on Coach Interiors/Exteriors, Wi-Fi enabled Infotainment System with LCD Display, Pantry with Coffee and Snacks Vending Units etc. LHB Coaches with German technology was introduced in 12673/74 Cheran Express from 10/11/2017. A total of 12 trains with 451 coaches have been provided with LHB coaches in Southern Railway so far.
But the Landmark achievement was the Golden Rock Workshop (GOC), Trichy. GOC is the premier Workshop of Southern Railway engaged towards manufacturing of Wagons. During 2017-18,160 Nos. BOXNHL and 178 Nos. BLC Wagons were manufactured. In addition, GOC Workshop has bagged an order for manufacture of 250 Nos.
BVCM Wagons for Rs.36.46 Crores and 1035 BCS Wagons for Rs.314 Crores for CONCOR. The workshop bagged the prestigious 5-star label and National Award for Energy Efficiency from Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power. The Southern Railway’s Mechanical Department has achieved breath-taking breakthroughs in development and they clearly deserved the award.
