Indian Railways has taken several environment friendly steps. A project based on clean development mechanism to distribute over 14 lakh CFLs free of cost to Railway employees housed in Railway colonies, in exchange of energy intensive incandescent lamps was launched. This project is expected to reduce around 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission annually and has been acknowledged as one of the biggest initiatives in sensitizing people towards environment.
In a significant move towards clean environment in platforms and railway tracks, Indian Railways has inducted biotoilets (green toilets) in Guwahati,
With these toilets fitted in the coaches there will be no discharge of human excreta falling in platforms or at nay other places enroute. The bacteria inside the toilets eat away human excreta and convert it into water and gas. The water so generated after passing through chlorine tank discharges out and the gas generated thereby evaporates out side the atmosphere. It also prevents damages of tracks and rolling stock components by way of corrosion.
Several designs of biotoilets are being tried in different passenger carrying trains. Indian Railways proposes to achieve the milestone of 500 green toilets in service in different trains by March 2012.
NEW RAIL AXLE MANUFACTURING FACTORY
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Ministry of Railways and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), a central Government PSU under Ministry of Steel, in January 2011 for setting up of a new Rail Axle Manufacturing Factory at New Jalpaiguri in
NEW AC CONTAINER & BOGIE MANUFACTURING FACTORY
The foundation stone was laid by the Railway Minister for AC Container & Bogie Manufacturing Factory at Budge Budge near Kolkata in
MODERN LUGGAGE TROLLEY SERVICE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
The Indian Railways introduced modern luggage trolley service at New Delhi Platform No. 1 and 16), Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram and Howrah stations to assist senior citizens and women passengers in boarding and alighting from coaches along with their luggage comfortably. The service has been launched as a pilot project for a period of one year and handled by uniformed attendants called ‘Rail Yatri Sevaks’. The service is being run in collaboration with State Bank of
MORE CONCESSION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS, THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED, MEDIA PERSONS & GIRL STUDENTS
Ministry of Railways has decided to reduce the minimum age for availing concession from 60 years to 58 years in case for women senior citizens. It has also been decided to increase the element of concession in case of men senior citizens from 30 per cent to 40 per cent with effect 1st June 2011. Concession has also been extended in Rail fares admissible to orthopedically/paraplegic persons to Rajdhani/Shatadbi trains also. The same concession is also admissible to one escort accompanying the concerned handicapped person. It has been decided to extend the 50% concession to family (Spouse/.companion and dependent children up to 18 years) of accredited correspondents twice during the financial year with effect from 1st June 2011 instead of once in the financial year. It was also decided to extend free Monthly Season Tickets to girl students who are pursuing professional/vocational courses also upto the level of Graduation like MBBS, BE, B Tech, BBA, BCA etc.
CAG LAUDS RAILWAYS EFFORTS DURING CWG 2010
Appreciating the significant work of Indian Railways during Commonwealth Games 2010, Computer Auditor General of India (CAG), in its audit report tabled in August 2011 on Commonwealth Games 2010, said that status of the Railway projects in April 2010 reveals satisfactory progress both in construction of Rail Over/Under Bridges and development of the facilities at the Railway stations. CAG also appreciated the progress in infrastructure work and provision of passenger amenities at New Delhi Railway Station considering that about 290 trains pass through this station every day with approximately five lakh passengers commuting on a daily basis. CAG also highlighted the Railways achievements regarding all the major activities relating to makeover of New Delhi Railway Station which were completed before the Games. These achievements were possible due to guidance of Ministry of Railways and tight monitoring and execution of the developmental plans of Northern Railway and its Delhi Division.
RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION PROJECTS
A total of 897 Route Kilometers have been energized between January 2011 to November 2011. Electric traction on the newly electrified sections introduced after obtaining Commissioner of Railway Safety’s sanction are (i) Vikarabad-Tandur, South Central Railway (45 RKm), (ii) Tiruchchirappalli-Dindigul, Southern Railway (92 RKm) and (iii) Keonjhar-Jaroli, East Coast Railway (40 RKm), New Railway Electrification projects sanctioned are (a) Laksar-Dehradun section of Northern Railway (79 RKm), (b) Vizianagram-Raipur of East Coast Railway (465 RKm), 9c0 Rosaa-Sitapur-Burhwal of Northern and North Eastern Railway (181 RKm) and (d) Alwar-Rewari of North Western Railway (982 RKm).