Retirees’ Meet held by Salem Division, Southern Railway

Shri Shubhranshu, DRM, addressing the gathering 

 The eldest retiring employee welcoming Shri Shubhranshu

 (On the dais, from left to right) Shri Shubhranshu, Sri G. Janarthanan, Sri Anand Bhatia & Sri N. Velumani

The retiring employees gathered during the program

 Eye test being conducted for the retiring employees

Southern Railway, Salem Division, conducted the “Pensioners-to be meet”, an awareness program for the retiring employees of Salem Division, today (16.03.2016) at the Railway Kalyana Mandapam, Erode. 125 employees who are retiring between April and September, 2016, attended the same.  In Southern Railway, after Palakkad Division, Salem is the only Division conducting such a program for the retiring employees.

Sri Shubhranshu, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, presided over the program and addressed the retirees. He said that it is very important for the retiring employees to keep their mind and physique in perfect symphony after the retirement from Railway service, because they are going to start a new innings in their life post-retirement. Railways, being the largest employer in India, always take care of its employees both in service and after retirement, he added.

A special health care camp was also held during the program arranged by Dr. M. Narasimham, Additional Chief Medical Superintendant, Salem Division, with the assistance of SPT Hospital, Coimbatore, & Vasan Eye Care Centre, Erode, in association with the Railways’ Medical Department. Blood sugar (including HbA1C test), kidney functioning test, urine test and hypertension tests were conducted for the retiring employees and suitable medical advice was provided. Financial experts from State Bank of India and Indian Postal Department also participated in the program to provide tips for handling their retirement benefits safely and prudently. Copies of the service records and leave particulars were provided to the retirees with a view to appraise them of the leave they are entitled for encashment, etc.

Sri Anand Bhatia, Asst. Divisional Financial Manager, Salem, and supervisors from the Medical, Personnel and  Accounts  Department  of the Salem Division, attended the program.

Sri N. Velumani, Asst. Personnel Officer, Salem, proposed the vote of thanks. Earlier, Sri G. Janarthanan, Divisional Personnel Officer, Salem, welcomed the gathering. 

Emergency medical assistance booth for rail passengers at Coimbatore Junction

The Emergency Medical Assistance Booth run by Sri Ramakrishna Hospital at the Coimbatore junction would function 24 hours a day. It will be manned by trained medical staff to provide emergency first aid to any genuine rail passenger in critical condition and would assist in transferring them to any hospital of their choice that is nearby, apart from providing medical assistance to common ailments. The booth has been equipped with ECG monitors, SPO2 Monitors, Defibrillator, emergency drugs and IV fluids, to take care of any medical exigencies to rail passengers. Such Emergency Medical Assistance Booths are already functioning effectively in Salem, Erode, and Karur junctions of Salem Division. 

Southern Railway initiates effective steps on complaints over difficulties faced by rail users in booking parcels by trains

It has come to the notice of the higher officials of the Commercial Branch of Southern Railway that rail users face difficulties in booking of parcels, household goods and motorcycles on trains because of the unauthorized agents as they  jack up the railways’ actual charges often on the pretext of packing, loading, unloading etc. thus forcing the customers pay extra amounts.

To check such menace by middlemen, Southern Railway has ordered for an enquiry on such allegations and ordered for surprise checks frequently by senior railway officials. In addition, any person facing such difficulty in any of the stations under Salem Division Control, he may call the Sr. Divisional Commercial Manager, Salem Division, in Phone No. 0427-2330 297 and register his complaint, giving his/her name, mobile No., duly indicating the exact nature of problem/issue with name of railway employee, if any, involved. Immediate action will be taken based on the complaint. 

International Women’s Day Celebrations at Salem Division, Southern Railway

 Shri Shubhranshu, DRM, addressing the gathering 

 Smt Jyotsna Prasad is giving the Prize to a cultural competition award winner

 Smt Jyotsna Prasad giving away the prize to a winner of the Cultural Competition Sri Shubranshu, (2nd from left) looks on with Sri G. Janarthanan (first from right) with him 

 Shri Shubhranshu, giving away the Special Award for outstanding performance to a woman employoee

The award and Prize Winners with Smt. Jyotsna Prasad

The International Women’s Day 2016 was celebrated today (08.02.2016) at Salem Division, Southern Railway. Sri Shubhranshu, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem, presided over the function and Smt. Jyotsna Prasad, President, Southern Railway Women’s Welfare Organisation, Salem, participated as Chief Guest. Sri. R.S. Sinha, Addl. DRM, Salem, Sri G. Janarthanan, Divl. Personnel Officer, Salem, Smt. Rathi, Executive Engineer, Salem, who  is also the Chairperson of the Women’s Empowerment Resource Centre, Salem, Officers of Salem Division, and Women Employees with their family members participated in large numbers.

During his address, Shri Shubhranshu, mentioned that the Women’s day is to recognize the role of women in the society but felt that its inappropriate to call it Women’s Empowerment Day because it denotes as if Women are empowered by men, while the truth is otherwise. He said that the women have not don various multifaceted roles such as loco  pilots, air pilots, businesswomen, apart from donning the role of home makers. He requested the women employees of Salem Division to train the women around them to be independent financially. It is very important that women are financially free to ensure their total freedom, he added.

During her address, Smt Jyotsna Prasad, felt that the only way for the country to  develop is to  recognize the importance of women in society, as the level of development of women is  the real indicator of the development off the Nation as a whole. Women should themselves stop discriminating between their sons and daughters, which is the real evil in the lower rungs of the society. She also lauded the multi-tasking capabilities of women in every field of their chosen activity.

Special Awards were given by Sri Shubhranshu, DRM, to 12 outstanding Women employees from each Branch of Salem Division, in recognition of their contribution. This award is being given for the first time, at the behest of the DRM. Smt Jyotsna Prasad, gave away the prizes to 24 prize winners in various cultural and sports competitions. Cultural programs by the wards of Salem Division  employees were the highlight of the celebrations. Vote of thanks was rendered by Smt. Rathi, and earlier Sri G. Janarthanan, welcomed the gathering. 

Allotment of lower berths for Sr.Citizen/pregnant women on emergency quota by Southern Railway

In trains, sometimes, an elderly person/Sr.Citizen/pregnant woman is being  allotted an Upper/middle berth by random/serial allotment while booking train ticket in advance, since the computer system works on a programmed fixed logic and can’t be sensitive as per the unique need of an individual case.

Now, commercial branch of Southern Railway has come to the rescue of such persons. Any senior citizen/pregnant women placed in upper/middle berth and is in need of a lower berth may contact Chief Commercial Manager Cell personally or through their family members two days before the journey (it should be a working day) and give an application highlighting the problem. The genuineness of such requests for Emergency Quota are thoroughly verified every day by the Officer on Special Duty to Chief Commercial Manager, Southern Railway, before allotment. Considering facts and needs of individual cases, Southern Railway is alloting the applicant a lower berth when the chart is prepared. 

In Salem Division, such applicants should place their request along with supporting documents supporting their request, in the box placed in the Commercial Branch of Divisional HQ office, Salem. The designated officer for EQ on the particular day will scrutinise the applications on merit and allot lower berths.

This new system has been in force from 22 February 2016, and since then, approx 15,000 berths cutting across all classes of travel have been released to common man confirming their waitlisted tickets. This is over and above 2,500 passengers who approached CCM Cell in emergency and who were allotted seats from Emergency Quota. 

Salem Division Southern Railway installs free to use BMI Kiosks in 5 major stations for use of passengers

The Indian Medical Research Council (IMRC) has fixed recently the average weight for men as 60 Kgs and 55 Kgs for women in India. As per the recommendations of the IMRC, the healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) for men from 18-29 years, is 20.3 (with 60 Kgs weight and 1.73 Mtrs height) and for Women from 18-29, the healthy BMI should be 21.2 (with 55 Kgs weight and 1.61 Mtrs height).  So, a normal working Indian male requires 2,730 calories (kcal) and a hard working male requires 3490 calories (kcal). Likewise, a normal working Indian female requires 1900-2230  calories (kcal) and a hard working female requires 2850 calories (kcal).

It is a difficult task for normal citizens to know their BMI and design their lifestyle. So, with a view to assist rail passengers to know their BMI and guide them towards a healthy lifestyle, Salem Division of Southern Railway has installed BMI Kiosks in 5 of its major stations.

These BMI Kiosks in the lines of the earlier coin operated weight showing machines, will be showing the height, weight and the BMI of the user (like underweight, normal and healthy weight, Overweight and Obese) free on no payment. In addition, the machine will also give advice as to the requirement of water intake for the user based on his/her BMI. If opted, the user can input his/her 10 digit mobile number in the machine, so that the machine will send an SMS to the mobile providing all the above details for a permanent record. When the user provides the same mobile number next time, the SMS will include comparative figures of the height, weight & BMI in comparison with the last time. 

These BMI Kiosks installed by M/s Orange Innovations and Amsoft Services, in 5 major stations of Salem Division viz. Salem, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Karur, at a cost of Rs.2.5 lakhs approx. However, there is no capital investment on the part of railways as these machines are installed on advertisement revenue basis and the contractors will pay rent for using the railway premises in addition to sharing a part of the advertisement revenue. 

While expressing his happiness over the new BMI Kiosks installed by Salem Division, Sri Shubhranshu, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem, said that these BMI kiosks will help the rail passengers to lead a healthy life style and added that more such machines would be installed in many stations of Salem Division. 

Passengers creating trouble in Chennai Central Mangalore Express apprehended and produced before Court

When the on-duty Train Ticket Examiners (TTEs) of train No.12685 Chennai Central – Mangalore express, D. Rajasekaran, Rajeswar Meena, Carl Max,  and Pradeepkumar, received complaints that a few passengers of S-11 coach of were creating nuisance to the other passengers in an inebriated condition, they rushed to the coach and intervened with the trouble creators. However, since they were not in a listening mood and tried to attack the other passengers and TTEs, the TTEs alerted the RPF/GRP staff in Triuppur Railway Station  and the nuisance creating passengers were de-trained. A written complaint was lodged with GRP at Tiruppur. Based on that, an FIR was filed against the offenders viz. Prem, Gopinath, Prithviraj, and 6 others under  Cr. No.28/2016 75 (i)b TNCP Act & 506(i) IPC R/W 145 (b) IR Act dated 21.02.2016.

The accused persons were produced before the Hon’ble Judicial Magistsrate-V, Coimbatore, who ordered for release of two offenders viz Balasubramaniyam (M-46) and Prabakaran (M-39) on bail and the remanded the remaining 7 persons for judicial custody at Central Prison, Coimbatore for a period of 15 days.

The on duty TTEs had acted in way so as to safeguard the passengers of the coach. It is requested that the passengers not to cause nuisance and disturbance to co-passengers, failing which the onboard staff such as TTEs will be taking action against them.

In the event of any such happenings in trains, they may call the Security Helpline No. 182 for immediate assistance, for nuisance by co-passengers, theft or any other security related assistance. Additionally, passengers may call the Officer on Spl Duty (OSD) to Chief Commercial Manager (CCM), Southern Railway, in Mobile No. 90031 60969, for assistance. The concerned Senior Divisional Managers of the respective Divisions, Commercial Controllers of the Division/Head quarters, will be then alerted for immediate action. When immediate help is not made available, the concerned staffs have been advised to directly to call the Chief Commercial Manager, Southern Railway.