SER to install sliding booms at LC gates to prevent the detention of traffic

Kolkata: South Eastern Railway has planned to install Sliding Booms at all its Level Crossing Gates with a view to preventing the detention of trains. When a Level Crossing’s Main Boom gets damaged or broken due to any reason, in such a situation a Sliding Boom is used to stop the road traffic and ensure train movement.

South Eastern Railway has already installed 156 Sliding Booms at its Level Crossing Gates and in the first phase, 381 Sliding Booms will be installed in Level Crossings especially where the frequent damage of boom occurs due to rash driving.

When a Level Crossing Boom is hit by a vehicle it becomes non-functional as interlocking and signaling system gets affected causing detention of both rail and road traffic. Sliding Booms are used in such a situation to overcome the problem and keep the level crossing gate functional with all safety measures. This helps to prevent undue detention of trains till the repairing of the main gate boom is completed.

Installation of Sliding Booms at Level Crossing Gates will not only help to maintain punctuality in train service but also is a major step to ensure the safety of both rail and road users.

SER to install Bio-Toilets in more than 1800 train coaches

Kolkata: ‘Bio-Toilet project’ of Indian Railways is an innovative and indigenous development of technology. This technology is first of its kind being used by any railroad in the world for On-board accelerated digestion of human waste. These bio-toilets are fitted underneath the lavatories and the human waste discharged into them is acted upon by a colony of anaerobic bacteria that convert human waste mainly into the water and small amount of biogases.

The gases escape into the atmosphere and waste is discharged after chlorination onto the track. Human waste, thus, does not fall on the railway tracks thus improving cleanliness and hygiene at platforms, and facilitate track and coaches maintenance staff to perform their work more efficiently. The Bio-toilet project is very much aligned with ‘Swachchh Bharat Mission’, launched by Prime Minister of India.

The technology for Bio-toilets has been innovated, designed and is ‘Made in India’. It has been developed jointly by Indian Railways’ Engineers & DRDO’s scientists. It is one example where the technology developed for defense applications has been utilized for the civilian purpose. Adaption and large-scale deployment of the technology have been facilitated by collaboration between DRDO, RDSO and the field units of Indian Railways.

SER’s initiative in Bio-Toilets: With a view to providing a clean and hygienic environment to the passengers, South Eastern Railway is taking a major initiative in the installation of Bio-Toilets in coaches of trains. In the current financial year (2018-19), South Eastern Railway has taken a target of installing  Bio-Toilets in  1846 coaches of mail/express trains. During the last financial year, 473 coaches of South Eastern Railway were fitted with Bio-Toilets.

Five touts arrested from SER booking counters during the last one month

Kolkata: South Eastern Railway is organizing regular raids and vigilance checks at the Reservation Offices in its jurisdiction to curb fraudulent activities in connection with the booking of railway tickets.

During the last one month, 5 touts were arrested by South Eastern Railway team. Among them, two touts were arrested from the Booking Counter at Old Koilaghat, Kolkata while one tout was nabbed from Rabindra Sadan Booking Office, Kolkata. Two other touts were arrested from Rourkela and Garbeta Booking Offices.

The touts were prosecuted U/S 143 of the Railways Act and the drive to curb malpractice in Ticket Booking is continuing.

Remarkable growth in SER’s freight earnings & loadings in April 2018

Kolkata: During the first month of the current financial year i.e. April 2018, South Eastern Railway has earned Rs.1,017.12 crores from originating freight traffic which is Rs.109.44 crores more than the corresponding month of last year i.e. April 2017 thus registering a growth of 12.06%.

This growth in freight earnings has been possible due to increase in freight loading in April 2018. During the month of April 2018, SER loaded 11.89 million tonnes of freight which is 0.47 million tonnes more than that of April 2017 recording a growth of 4.12%.

The major components of this freight loading are 5.96 million tonnes of Iron Ore, 2.72 million tonnes of Coal, 1.21 million tonnes of Pig-Iron and Finished Steel, 1.03 million tonnes of Cement etc.

SERWWO felicitates hard-working safety related 35 group-D employees

Kolkata: With a view to encouraging the Safety Category Group-D Employees, Smt. Surabhi Agrawal, President, South Eastern Railway Women’s Welfare Organization (SERWWO) felicitated 35 Group-D categories of Gangman, Trolleyman, Gateman, OHE Khalasi, Signal Maintainers etc. from four  divisions i.e. Kharagpur, Adra, Chakradharpur and Ranchi of South Eastern Railway for their sincere, dedicated and outstanding performances in various spheres of safety activities in train movements during inclement weather and adverse situations at a function held at BNR Officers’ Club, Garden Reach.

The President/SERWWO along with other members gave away Cash awards and Merit Certificates to the devoted employees.

Photo Caption: Smt. Surabhi Agrawal, President, South Eastern Railway Women’s Welfare Organization (SERWWO) felicitating Group-D Categories of staff at a function held at BNR Officers’ Club, Garden Reach on 10.05.18.

South Eastern Railway Women’s Welfare Organization (SERWWO) is a philanthropic and charitable organization. The main objectives of this organization are to help the wards of railway employees for their education, treatments and health care. This Organisation also sends relief materials to the affected areas during natural calamities like flood, earthquake etc. It also donates to various welfare organizations in and around Kolkata.

Smt. Surabhi Agrawal, President, SERWWO while welcoming and felicitating the awardees, recognized their perfect role for smooth maintenance of railway tracks, signal maintenance and safe running of trains during their duty assignments.

SER’S security personnel realizes lakhs of rupees as fine from trespassing

Kolkata: The Railway Protection Force of South Eastern Railway, not only protects  Railway Property at Yards, Goods Sheds, Washing lines, Goods trains and Passenger trains but also taken a number of measures to prevent tress-passing of railway track by building awareness campaign in various stations.

As per Indian Railways Act under the section of 147, tress-passing across railway tracks is a punishable offense with a penalty of imprisonment up to six months and or fine up to Rs. one thousand.

But in spite of all-out efforts, tress-passing can’t be eliminated and a number of public have been booked for crossing railway tracks illegally avoiding Foot Over Bridges at stations. During the financial year 2017-18, altogether 3014 persons were arrested as Tress–Passers while  2995 cases were registered and rupees 9,32,210/- was realized as fine and 2730 persons were remanded for trial.

This has been substantially lower than the previous year since Railway Protection Force has conducted continuous awareness programmes to warn passengers not to cross the railway tracks with the risk of life and avoid prosecution and fines.