Waltair division bags nine best performance shields

Visakhapatnam: Waltair Division bagged nine best performance shields including Overall Performance Shield at the 63rd Railway Week Awards function at Zonal Headquarters, Bhubaneswar recently.

The Division’s consistent performance in all the fields applauded by the General Manager, said East Coast Railway Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Mukul Saran Mathur in a press meet conducted at the DRM’s office here on Monday and announced the performance and achievements of Waltair Division in the financial year 2017-18.

Speaking on the occasion, Mukul Saran Mathur said that Waltair Division recorded gross revenue of Rs 7,154.99 crore which was 10.82 per cent more than last financial year’s performance( Rs 6,456.42 crore).The Division transported 56.54 million tonnes in the current financial year which was 7.29 per cent more than the last financial year (52.7 million tonnes).

The Division achieved Rs 6,515.25 crore revenue from freight loading which was 11.44 per cent more than last financial year (Rs 5,846.24 crore) and 4.63 per cent over the target set for this financial year. The Division has carried 35.06 million passengers to their destinations in the current financial year generating a revenue of Rs 536.43 crore which was 7.51 per cent more than the last financial year (Rs 498.95 crore).

Speaking on safety front, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Suneel Kumar said the restoration of bridge works at Kothavalasa-Kirandul line 249 between Chimidipalli-Borraguhalu completed and commissioned in record time of 58 days, two days prior to tentative date.

The division also commissioned few other works like doubling the line between Tokopal–Silakjhori and Visakhapatnam-New Coaching Complex, CONCOR siding, Commissioned Auto Signaling System between Gopalapatnam-Duvvada, Provision of Route Relay Interlocking(RRI) at Bacheli station in place of end cabins, Commissioning of IB signals between Sitanagaram–Parvathipuram railway stations (RV Line), New Block Station at Parlakhemundi in Naupada-Gunupur Line commissioned, 17 manned level crossings closed and 24 limited height subways were inserted for safe passage of public and Global Positioning system (GPS) provided to inspect trolleys of the permanent way inspectors to track the vehicle for safety and introduced GPS tracker to patrolmen.

More than 3.5 lakh ticketless/irregular ticket and un-booked luggage cases were detected in 2017-18 and an amount of Rs 13.63 crore was realised towards fare and penalty registering a growth of 14.69 per cent. The division has conducted 1,770 various special drives (115 per cent growth) to check ticketless travel during current year which was the ever-highest achievement. These drives realised an amount of Rs 6.726 crore towards fare and penalty which was also a record.

The division had spent Rs 386 crore of total annual expenditure on projects/works while total annual expenditure under revenue is stood at Rs 2,563 crore and total expenditure from RRSK(safety) is Rs 350 crore. Overall the division had achieved best performance efficiency index at 34.81 by showing the best accounting skills with gross working expenses Rs 2,511.34 crore and having gross earnings at Rs 7,213.94 crore for the current financial year, he added.