Cleaning activities at the Salem Junction today (26.05.2016) on the Swachchta Diwas (Cleanliness Day) of Rail Hamsafar (Customer Facilitation) Week

 DRM inspecting the proposed parking lot and pick and drop point in front of Salem Junction 

 DRM inspecting the Platform No.5

 DRM interacting with the passengers in the AC Waiting Hall

 DRM inspecting the Retiring Rooms at Salem Junction Sri Ma Vignavelu (3rd from left), Sri Murugesan, Station Manager (5th from left), Sri Prabhakaran, Sr. Divisional Elec Engineer (next to him) 

DRM inspecting the kitchen area of the NVRR 

As per the directives of the Hon’ble Minister for Railways, Sri Suresh Prabhu, the first day of the Rail Hamsafar (Customer Facilitation) Week was observed as Swachchta Diwas (Cleanliness Day) all over the Salem Division, today (26.05.2016).

In Salem Junction, Officers, staff, Scouts, Guides, members of NGOs and other voluntary organizations participated in the Cleanliness Campaign under the guidance of Sri Ma. Vignavelu, Sr. Divisional Engineer, Co-ordination. They carried out the cleaning of the concourse area, platforms, foot over bridge, rail coaches, waiting halls, etc.,

Sri Hari Shankar Varma, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem, visited Salem Junction and inspected the cleanliness therein and also interacted with the passengers about the cleanliness. Passengers expressed satisfaction over the  cleanliness in Salem Junction, but wanted the trains arriving and departing from Salem Junction may also be attended to. For this, Sri Hari Shankar Varma replied that the trains are at present being attending at Erode Junction, which is a Clean Train Station, where 20 minutes time is allotted for cleaning the coaches of the long distance trains.

While inspecting the cleaning works, Sri Varma, found that the cleaning staff were dumping the cleaned garbage on the tracks. He instructed that separate collection  buckets should be used to collect the garbage and dispose them off in the places designated by the local body. On inspection of the Airconditioned waiting hall in Salem Junction, DRM interacted with some of the passengers waiting therein. As a few of them told DRM that the space is a bit insufficient to accommodate more passengers during hot noon, he instructed Sri Viju Vin, Divisional Commercial Manager, Salem, to examine the possibility of expanding the AC Waiting Hall, duly annexing the next room, providing airconditioners therein.

While inspecting the concourse area in front of the Salem Junction, where the new drop and pick path is being created, DRM instructed that the path way may  be made a little wider to accommodate 2 cars at a time, to avoid congestion. Further, he inspected the 5^th Platform of Salem Junction, which is being planned to be widened.

During his inspection, Sri Varma found that some cleaning materials were dumped in a corner of 3^rd Platform and instructed the Chief Health Inspector, Salem Junction, to immediately move them to a store, thus keeping the platform clean and without any hindrance.

Later, Sri Hari Shankar Varma, inspected the Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Refreshment Rooms (VRR & NVRR) in Salem Junction and enquired about the quality of the food supplied therein. The passengers expressed their satisfaction on the quality and cleanliness therein. One of the passengers informed Sri Varma that he had taken the food on his arrival at Salem yesterday and today on his departure as well, and said that he preferred the Railway Catering Stall over the eateries outside. DRM instructed the Canteen contractors to consider the possibility of using more eco-friendly and disposable plates such as Arecanut leaf plates for supply of food to the rail passengers, which are bio-degradable.