PNS|Hyderabad
Kavach, India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, has been installed on 1,465 km of tracks, Arun Kumar Jain, the General Manager of South Central Railway said.
He hoisted the National Flag on the 77th Independence Day and inspected a Guard of Honour at the Railway Sports Complex Ground in Secunderabad on Tuesday.
He said that it is a moment of great pride that the SCR team and their families have spontaneously responded to the clarion call of the Prime Minister. They embraced the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ initiative with enthusiasm and hoisted the National Flag at their residences, he said.
Highlighting the outstanding achievements of SCR during the last financial year, the GM said that SCR achieved its best-ever performance in various segments. The meticulous strategies executed by the SCR team resulted in the zone’s Gross Originating Revenue touching Rs 6,697 crore.
The robust growth in revenue was driven by record-breaking earnings in both passenger and freight businesses. The zone achieved a remarkable freight revenue of Rs 4,463 crore while the passenger segment contributed Rs 1,937 crore. These achievements were supported by effectively addressing the transportation requirements of 92 million passengers and by moving 45.49 million tonnes of freight, he added.
Emphasizing safety, he said that safety continues to be the overriding priority in all operations. After eliminating unmanned level crossings, the zone has taken up the task of eliminating manned level crossings. Currently, nine manned LCs have been eliminated by constructing RUBs or ROBs. Large-scale maintenance of tracks has been taken up and nearly 196 km of track has been renewed, he added.
Highlighting infrastructure development, he said that from April to July several works related to doubling and tripling of railway lines have been taken up including 20 km of doubling between Tarlupadu and Jaggambotla Krishnapuram, 11 km doubling between Guntakal and Maddikera, 17 km doubling between Savalyapuram and Cheekateegalapalem and 17 km tripling between Nekkonda and Chintalpalli.
A longer loop line has been commissioned at the Makudi railway station for freight trains. Simultaneously, Mission Electrification has been progressing at a rapid pace with nearly 90 per cent of the SCR rail network getting electrified, he added.
He also emphasised that the security of rail passengers is a priority for SCR. Around 131 trains in the zone are being escorted by the RPF. Under ‘Operation Nanhe Farishte,’ 450 children were rescued and handed over to their parents or rehabilitation centres.
He said that the redevelopment of railway stations which are being upgraded to provide world-class facilities has received a big push with the Prime Minister laying the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the Secunderabad Railway Station as well as another 50 stations across the zone as part of the “Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.”
The PM also laid the foundation stone for a Railway Manufacturing Unit at Kazipet at a cost of nearly Rs 521 crore, he said.
