CHENNAI:
Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Railways & Coal, reviewed the performance of Southern Railway and ICF, in a meeting held at Chennai.
During the meeting, the Minister has directed railway officials to ensure that Indian Railways provide the best service with speed and safety. It has been directed that all unmanned level crossings should be eliminated expeditiously on the entire Indian Railway network in a year’s time from now. The earlier target was to eliminate these in 3 years but by using Transformative mantra of “Speed, Skill and Scale” this target has to be completed within 1 year now.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given clarion call to celebrate the Swachhta Hi Seva Shramdaan programme during 15th September – 02nd October,2017, fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of Swachh Bharath. Railway fraternity should join enmasse by ensuring the cleanliness of stations, train and other railway premises.
Railways should conserve electricity through large scale implementation of LED lighting facilities at railway stations, railway premises including railway quarters, to strengthen the LED Revolution under UJALA programme of Government of India. Considering the large number of abandoned and lost children, Railway administration should provide Child Help desks at more railway stations to ensure rescue of the children.
While appreciating the progress of providing bio-toilets, the Railway Minister has instructed that the work should be completed before target time. He said railway officials should take measures in water conservation, plastic disposal as a part of Green India mission of government.
While all effort to be put in enhancing the freight and sundry earnings, cost control measure also to be taken to improve efficiency. Zonal Railways should suggest measures for improving non-traditional revenue. Railways should bring in new technology to ensure safe and affordable service to passengers.
He also reviewed the performance of Integral Coach Factory and called upon the officials of ICF to boost the production further to meet the increasing requirements of Indian Railways and to bring in modern technology that can be emulated by other world.
