Salem Division performs better despite tight economic trends all over the Nation-DRM, Salem, during the Railway Week Celebrations 2016

 Sri K. Murugesan, SMR, Salem Jn, (1st from left) receiving the Shield for Best Maintained Major Station from Sri Shubhranshu, DRM, Salem (in middle), as Sri R.S.Sinha, ADRM (first from right) looks on 

 Sri Vijayakumar, SM, Mohanur Stn, (1st from left) receiving the Shield for Best Maintained Minor Station from Sri Shubhranshu, DRM, Salem (in middle), as Sri R.S.Sinha, ADRM (first from right) looks on 

 Shri Shubhranshu, DRM, addressing the auidence

 Shri Shubhranshu, DRM, Salem, during his address

A section of the large gathering of officers and staff of Salem Division, during the function 

The 61^st Railway Week Celebrations were held today (18.04.2016) in the Salem Division of Southern Railway, at the Divisional Office premises. The Railway Week is being celebrated all over Indian Railways to commemorate the first train services in India, before 163 years, in 1853.  

In the function, 14 shields were awarded for various Railway Stations and Branches in Salem Division, for the best maintenance, safest section, etc. Salem Junction received the Shield for the Best Maintained Major Station and Mohanur was adjudged as the Best Maintained Minor Station. Sri Murugesan, Station Manager, Salem, and Sri Vijayakumar, Station Master, Mohanur, received the Shields from Sri Shubhranshu, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem. In addition, Sri Shubhranshu also presented Merit Certificates, Medals and Cash Awards to 240 Salem Division employees including 4 officers, in the presence of Smt Jyotsna Prasad, President, Southern Railway Women's Welfare Organisation, Salem Division.

While addressing the gathering, Shri Shubhranshu, expressed his happiness over the improved performance of Salem Division, during the Fiscal Year 2015-16, despite the tight economic trend that prevailed all over the Nation. He said that the passenger earnings during the last fiscal has gone up by 4% to Rs.477 crores eclipsing last year’s Rs.459 crores. He added that the Ticket Checking earnings have seen a rise of 10.5% i.e. from Rs.4.49 crores to Rs.4.96 crores; other coaching earnings by 11.04% ie. From Rs.36.3 crores to Rs.40.3 crores; publicity earnings by 24% from Rs.4.63 crores to Rs.5.77 crores, catering earnings by 34% from Rs. 2.08 crores to Rs.2.78 Crores and Parking Fees earnings has gone up by 21% from Rs.3.08 crores to Rs.3.68 Crores, he said.

On the punctuality front, Sri Shubhranshu said he was satisfied to note that the punctuality in operation of trains had been improved to 95% as against the 93.5% despite a dip initially due to change in reporting system. He also said that due to tight control on expenditures, Salem Division was able to bring down the expenses by 10% i.e. from Rs.990 crores to Rs.890 crores.

He said that various passenger friendly steps have been taken by Salem Division, such as new station building annex to Salem Junction, new station buildings at Coimbatore North, Vijayamangalam & Thottipalayam, New Waiting Hall at Tirupur, new retiring rooms at Karur, renovated garden in front of Erode Junction, paid AC waiting halls at Erode and Coimbatore, 15 Smart Card Operated Ticket Vending Machines, 6 Cash Cum Coin Operated Ticket Vending Machines, etc.

He further stated that by the month end, 2 escalators would be commissioned in Salem Junction, and more escalators are coming up in Erode and Coimbatore, for which orders have been placed already. The first Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra (private reserved ticket booking counter) in Southern Railway has been installed in Erode, he added. The New Modern Station Building is coming up in Periyanaickenpalayam Station in the Coimbatore North-Mettupalayam Section, with the assistance of a Corporate Company, under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme, for the first time.  In the near future, 40 drinking water vending plants will be installed in six major stations, he said.

Shri Shubhranshu said that Salem Division has effectively redressed the passenger grievances through multi-modal contacts such as telephone, Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp, E-Mail, Grievance Web Portal and the passengers from all over the Nation had expressed their satisfaction in the swift redressal of their grievances by Salem Division authorities. By the cooperation of passengers, and the aggressive campaign under Swachch Bharat Mission with the assistance from, NGOs, Schools and Colleges, 3 of Salem Division A Category Stations have found place in the top 20 cleanest stations in the Nation viz. Salem, Erode, and Mettupalayam, with  Salem ranked the 7^th Cleanest A Category Station and Coimbatore the 13^th Cleanest ‘A1’ Category Station all over India, he added.

On Safety front, Shri Shubhranshu, said that 5 unmanned level crossings have been closed in the last year, 10 are awaiting sanction from Commissioner for Railway Safety, that will be eliminated soon. 20 more will be eliminated shortly, he said.

On Staff Welfare front, he said that during 2015, 1345 Salem Division staff have been promoted as against 627 in the year 2014, thus an increase by 114%. All the service records of about 9000 Salem Division staff have been scanned it has been planned to handover them to the retirees in a CD, which is a first in Indian Railways, Sri Shubhranshu said. He also said that the new 60 bedded Divisional Hospital inaugurated recently at Erode at a cost of  Rs.5.5 Crores, has been rated on par with the Corporate Hospitals by many. The EDP (Computer Centre) has been completely shifted from Palakkad Division and the new Pay Roll System called IPAS is getting ready to handle the pay rolls of Salem Division staff, in Salem itself.

He congratulated all the award winners and said that due to the efficient functioning of Personnel Branch, Salem Division bagged both Personnel Efficiency Shield and the Man Power Planning Shield in the Southern Railway.  

Officers and staff attended the function in huge numbers, along with their family members. Cultural programs by the staff of Salem Division entertained the audience. Earlier, Sri R.S.Sinha, welcomed the gathering and in the end Sri G. Janarthanan, Divisional Personnel officer, proposed the vote of thanks.