THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
To commemorate running of the first train on Indian soil from Mumbai to Thane on 16th April 1853, Railway Week Celebrations are conducted at Ministry of Railway, Zonal and Divisional level around 16th April every year.
Thiruvananthapuram Division celebrated its 63rd Railway Week on April 13, 2018 at Railway Kalyanamandapam, Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram. Prakash Butani, Divisional Railway Manager, Thiruvananthapuram Division was the Chief Guest of the function and he distributed awards along with K S Jain, Additional Divisional Railway Manager of Thiruvananthapuram Division to a total of 279 staff for their meritorious service along with 35 group awards to various departments.
In his address Prakash Butani, DRM, Thiruvananthapuram Division said that team work play an important part in railway working, the division completed track renewal of 83 Km, sleeper renewal of 52 Km and replacement of rails (with 60kg heavier rails) for 72 km in the tough geographical terrain of the division were 25% of the tracks are on curves, 50% of the block sections (Distance between two interlocked stations) possess gradients of 1/150 or steeper, where there are 2500 minor and major bridges and the working season is restricted to the gap between two major monsoon seasons.
Despite the additional allocation of traffic blocks for safety-related works, the division operated 30% more special trains this year, carried 26% more freight and the divisions overall earnings rose by 9% more than last year. On the passenger amenities front this year the division commissioned 8 escalators(Total 25), 4 lifts(Total 10), Free Wifi facilities at 3 stations (Total 7 stations), AC paid waiting hall at 2 stations(Total 5) and RO water vending machines at 8 stations.
Thiruvananthapuram division was the first division to introduce Portable ramps for Divyang passengers to board trains, Ernakulam Jn station has been made divyang friendly station with the CSR initiative of Mathrubhumi. The division has been able to reduce the electricity consumption by 14% due to the efforts of electrical department in converting all the 102 stations to LED lighting, replacing conventional fans with energy efficient brushless DC fans and commissioning of 10kW solar PV plant at Divisional Office, and for this effort the division has been awarded the Electrical Energy Conservation shield of Southern Railway. The initiatives for cleanliness at trains and stations has been recognized and the InterDivisional Cleanliness Shield 2018 is awarded to Thiruvananthapuram division.
B A Aravind, Sr.Divisional Personnel Officer welcomed the gathering and S Gopikrishna Divisional Secretary/SRMU gave felicitations.
