BENGALURU: The South Western Railway Zone has recorded an impressive 13.97 million tonnes of freight in the first four months of this financial year, which is 36 per cent higher than the corresponding period last year, said General Manager Sanjeev Kishore, In addition to that, the freight load of 4.39 million tonnes in March 2021 was the best ever loading done in a single month since the formation of the Zone, he added.
Delivering an Independence Day speech at the Zonal Headquarters at Hubballi, Kishore said this was all the more laudable bearing in mind the challenges posed by the pandemic. "Operation of passenger train services are picking up steadily and 80 per cent of pre-COVID trains have resumed services carrying men and materials," the GM said.
Referring to the infrastructure development, he said that 369 kms of railway track have been electrified in the ongoing financial year while 175.5 km of doubling and 51.5 km of new lines were commissioned during the previous fiscal.
On the environment front, 38 railway stations of SWR identified by National Green Tribunal have received the IS0-4001 certification, Kishore added. In Bengaluru Railway Division, Shyam Singh hoisted the tricolour at the Railway Institute Grounds at Mahatma Gandhi Railway Colony.
He also inspected the parade by the Railway Protection Force and took guard of honour, said an official release. A Dog show was also organized on the occasion. Philanthropists who assited in filling Oxygen cylinders and donated Oxygen concentrators to the Railway Hospital during the COVID pandemic were awarded with a certificate of appreciation.
Khadi stalls at railway stations
BENGALURU: To mark 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', a temporary exhibition cum sale of Khadi and Handloom items, was launched at both KSR (Bengaluru City) and Yesvantpur railway stations. The stalls were declared open on Saturday morning.
An official release said they would be open for 75 hours totally to celebrate the 75th Independence Day. Shyam Singh, Divisional Railway Manager, Bengaluru inaugurated the stalls set up in partnership with Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation Ltd (KHDCL) and Weavers’ Service Centre.