Salem Division appoints Gate Mitra/LC Gate Counselors in unmanned Level Crossings

Unmanned Level Crossings continue to be a matter of concern for the Railways as most accidents take place in such level crossings resulting in loss of lives and property. Despite continuous safety propaganda/awareness campaigns, unmanned level crossings do pose a threat. When Salem Division was started in 2007, there were 218 manned level crossings and 135 unmanned level crossings. Unmanned level crossings are reduced by way of direct closure, diversion of traffic to the other manned level crossings, road bridges by laying roads, by construction of limited use subways (LUS), Road Over/Road Under Bridges (ROB/RUB) or by manning them, depending on the vehicles using the LC. For example, if the vehicles are less than 500, the LC will be permanently closed, LUS will be constructed if it is between 2000-6000 and RUB/ROB will be constructed if the traffic is above 1 lakh. Due to positive steps in this direction, Salem Division has brought down the number of unmanned level crossings to 79 as on 31^st March, 2015, and is taking more steps in this regard.

However, since all the above steps likely to take more time, with a view to achieve zero life loss in unmanned level crossings, Indian Railways have decided to place Gate Mitras viz. LC Gate Counselors therein. These Gate Mitras would counsel the road users, issue pamphlets and guide them to safe-crossing of unmanned LCs.  Though railway personnel have been posted in a few sensitive LCs, due to paucity of man power, as per Railway Board’s directions, tenders were called for appointment of agencies to provide Gate Mitras in LCs and such an agency has been appointed on trial measure, for providing 60 Gate Mitras in various LCs in Salem Division, for 110 days (at a cost of Rs.2,57,400/-) 

Persons nominated for the Gate Mitra duties have been given training by the Safety Organisation of the Salem Division, for one day and have been provided with ID Slips. They will be wearing reflective safety jackets, and with a whistle, they will be present in the unmanned LCs from 6.00 hrs. to 18.00 hrs. every day to counsel/guide the road users.

Conversion of Chennai Central-Ernakulam-Chennai Ceral Superfast Specials into Suvidha specials via Erode & Coimbatore

T.No. 06065/ 06066 Chennai Central-Ernakulam-Chennai Ceral Superfast Specials notified to run from Chennai Central on 14.08.205 and from Ernakulam on 16.08.2015, 23.08.2015, 30.08.2015 ARE CANCELLED and instead Suvidha specials will be run on the same dates as detailed under.

T.No.00605/00606 Chennai Central – Ernakulam – Chennai Central Suvidha Specials:

Composition   : 1 AC 2 tier, 1 AC 3 tier, 12 3 tier sleeper & 2 luggage cum brake vans =

16 coaches

Date of service:        From Chennai Central on Friday on 14.08.2015 = 1 service ; From Ernakulam on Sundays on 16.08.15, 23.08.15 & 30.08.15 = 3 services

T.No.00605 Suvidha Spl.	¯	Station		T.No.00606 Suvidha Spl.
(Fri) 22.30	(d)	Chennai Central	(a)	08.15 (Mon)
(Sat) 00.18/00.20	(a/d)	Katpadi	(a/d)	05.25/ 05.30
04.25/04.30	(a/d)	Erode	(a/d)	00.50/00.55 (Mon)
06.25/06.30	(a/d)	Coimbatore	(a/d)	23.15/23.20
07.50/07.55	(a/d)	Palakkad	(a/d)	21.45/21.50
09.10/09.13	(a/d)	Thrisur	(a/d)	20.00/20.03
(Sat)11.15	(a)	Ernakulam	(d)	19.00 (Sun)

PS: Suvidha Special Trains have minimum fare equivalent to Tatkal fares and would increase after booking of every 20% seats/berths subject to maximum of 3 times of Tatkal fares. Only confirmed and RAC tickets will be issued in Suvidha trains and no waiting list will be there. Advance reservation period is maximum 30 days and minimum 10 days. 50% fare would be refunded up to 6 hours before the schedule departure of the train/preparation of chart, in case of cancellation. In case of cancellation of train itself, full refund will be provided.

Hon’ble Erode Member of Parliament Inspected Erode Railway Station

On 09.07.2015. Shri S. Selvakumara Chainnaiyan, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, inspected the Erode Railway junction along with Dr. S. Prabhakar, District Collector, Erode, Shri M.R Sibi Chakravarthy, Superintendant of Police, Erode, and Shri R. Mohan, Commissioner, Erode Municipal Corporation.

During his inspection Hon’ble MP advised to improve the lighting conditions in the approach road to the Erode junction, and to relay the pedestrian path along the approach road. It was assured to Hon’ble Erode MP that the works will be taken up on priority.  When SP, Erode, brought the matter of provision of CCTV Security Cameras in the Erode Railway station premises, it was explained to him that with the help of Govt. Railway Police, Erode, 52 CCTV cameras are planned to be installed. On the issue of traffic congestion in the main road opposite to Erode Junction was discussed, it was pointed out by the Railway officials though the bus bay available in the station is spacious, only Govt. buses are plying through the bus bay and the private operators continue to stop only in the main road. SP, Erode, assured that all the buses would be directed to ply through the bus bay.

From the Railway side, a request was put up to SP, Erode, to increase night patrolling in Erode junction area, and SP, Erode, assured that action would be taken. For the request to curtail the menace of stray dogs in the Erode Railway station premises, Commissioner, Erode Corporation assured immediate action. Since there is acute water shortage in the Erode junction premises during peak summer, a request was made to increase water supply, for which Collector, Erode, assured supply of water on demand and advised Railway officials to make a request well in advance so that supply can be ensured.

MID-TERM PENSION ADALAT 2015 HELD AT SALEM DIVISION, SOUTHERN RAILWAY TO SOLVE THE GRIEVANCES OF THE RAILWAY PENSIONERS

The mid-term Pension Adalat for the year 2015 was held today (10.07.2015) to redress the grievances of the railway pensioners.  The Pension Adalat was presided over by Shri Shubhranshu, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, Southern Railway. About 50 railway pensioners/beneficiaries attended the Pension Adalat and presented their grievances.

Totally, 85 representations were received, out of 52 were disposed off during the Pension Adalat in  favour of the pensioners/beneficiaries and an amount of Rs.10,21,903/- was released in respect of their claims. 21 representations could not be cleared as they were in contrary to the extant rules and 12 representations could not be dealt, for want of relevant documents. Further, 22 new representations were submitted during the Adalat, which Shri Shubhranshu assured will be examined and disposed off in a month’s time.

During the pension adalat, Shri Ravi Shekhar Sinha, Addl. Divisional Railway Manager, and Shri G. Janarthanan, Divisional Personnel Officer, were present. The pensioners/beneficiaries expressed their satisfaction and happiness over the quick disposal of their representations during the pension adalat. 

Culmination Day of Civil Defence Annual Training Camp at New Railway Kalyana Mandapam, Erode

The Civil Defence organization is a body created in the year 1962 (during the Chinese aggression on India) for training the  government employees to help and save civil properties and civilians in case of war situations and also during disasters such as Tsunami. The mission of the Civil Defence Organization is to save human lives, alleviate their sufferings, reducing damage to properties and upkeeping the morale of the public.

The organization is headed by the Hon’ble Union Home Minister at the Central level and at the Southern Railway Zonal level, the Dy. General Manager is the Controller of Civil Defence. At the Salem Divisional level, the Addl. Divisional Railway Manager is holding the post of Divisional Emergency Officer.

Every year, the organization is conducting annual camps to train railway employees and during the current year, the Training Camp has been held from 6.7.2015 to 10.07.2015 and the Culmination Day of the Camp is being held at the New Railway Kalyana Mandapam, Erode, tomorrow (10.07.2015) at 15.00 Hrs. (approx). Shri.S.Subramanian, Dy.General Manager/Southern Railway, Shri R.S.Sinha, Addl. Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, and Shri G. Janarthanan, Divisional Personnel Officer/Salem Division, participate in the function.

Trains stopped at Uthukkuli Station due to signal failure and delayed

Today (05.07.2015) morning at about 7.30 hrs. at Uthukuli Station, due to technical snag, signals have failed and the tracks had to be clamped manually to align the train movements therein.  However, when the pointsman Shri Dilipkumar set the clamping of the tracks, he has done it wrongly on the reverse direction, due to which Train No. 12680-Coimbatore Chennai Intercity express leaving Uthukuli and Train No. 17230 Hyderabad-Trivandrum Sabari Express towards Uthukuli  arrived in the same track. However, realising the problem, the Loco pilots of both the trains stopped their respective trains well in safe distance, thus averting a possible head on collision.  Because of this, Train Nos. 22638-Mangalore Chennai West Coast Express, 12084-Coimbatore Mayiladuthurai Jan Shatabdi Express, Train No. 22852 Mangalore Santragachi Vivek Express, Train No. 17230-Hyderabad Trivandrum Sabari Express, Train No. 66601 Erode Coimbatore (MEMU) Passenger Train, have been delayed from 75 minutes to 90 minutes. Now, the signal has been set right and the trains are running normally. For the incident, Shri Mukesh Kumar, Station Master, Uthukuli and Shri Dilip Kumar, Pointsman, have been placed under suspension and departmental enquiry has been initiated on the incident.. 

Bangaluru bound Passenger who missed his baggage thanks Salem Division staff for retrieving the lost luggage

On 11.06.2015, Shri D. Manoj Kumar, of Salem, boarded Train No. 12683-Ernakulam Bangaluru Superfast Express at Salem, and he was on a business trip to Bangaluru. On reaching Bangaluru, he found out that one of his co-passenger took away his baggage containing valuables, by mistake, leaving behind his baggage. Panick-stricken, Shri Manoj Kumar contacted the Salem Railway Station officials to assist him in finding out the passenger who was travelling near him and got down at Bangaluru, and solicited their assistance in getting his baggage back. Shri R. Selvakumar, Dy.Station Manager/Commercial/Salem station, immediately browsed through the passenger chart and found that the other passenger booked his ticket online through IRCTC. He then sought help from IRCTC to find out the details of that passenger and his contact number. From IRCTC records, it was found that the other passenger’s name was Shri Prasad Mathew. Shri Selvakumar then contacted Shri Prasad Mathew and the mixing of baggages was explained to him. Then, though RPF staff at Bangaluru junction, baggages were restored to their respective owners.

Shri D. Manoj Kumar, heartily appreciated the help of Salem Division officials in this regard. He also sent a letter of thanks addressed to Shri K.P. Damodaran, Sr.Divisional Commercial Manager, Salem Division. Shri Shubhranshu, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem, sanctioned a cash award of Rs.1000/- to Shri R. Selvakumar, Dy. Station Manager/Commercial/Salem, appreciating his sincere efforts in retrieving the lost baggage and restoring it with the original owner.