Carrying forward the message of Swachh Rail, Swachh Bharat, the NF Railway has started a massive cleanliness drive called Swachhta Pakhwada from August 16 to 31, involving officers, employees from headquarters and all five divisions — Katihar, Alipurduar, Rangia, lumding and Tinsukia.
On the very first day, Chahatey Ram, General Manager, NF Railway, administered the Swachhata pledge to railway officers and employees of at Maligaon and stated the primary focus will be given to cleanliness of all A1 and A category stations. Cleanliness of the stations will be monitored by senior railway officers.
The following trains will be tracked: 12040/41-NJP-Howrah Shatabdi Express, 12086/85 and 12087/88-Dibrugarh-Guwahati-Naharlagun Shatabdi Express, 12067/68-Guwahati-Jorhat Jan Shatabdi Express, 12504.03-Kamakya-Bangalore Humsafar Express, 12501/12502 and 15601/15602 Guwahati-Silchar-NewDelhi Sampark Kranti Express, 12515/16-Kamakya- Gandhidham Express, 12509/10-Guwahati-Bangalore Express, 12505/06–Guwahati-AnandVihar express, 15636/35- Guwahati-Okha Express,12552/51 Kamakhya- Yesvantpur Express, 15909/10-Avadh Assam Express, 15960/59-Kamrup Express, 15483/84-Sikkim Mahananda Express and 15707/08-Amrapalli Express.
Beside listing the goal, the event showcased skits on the theme put together with NGOs, religious bodies and school children.
There will be a series on Swachh Swambad (cleanliness dialogue) where seminars on sanitation will be organised towards upkeep of railway stations by involving NGOs, charitable institutions, scout and guides, unions. All railway employees will undertake the cleanliness drive in their nearest stations. Similarly, the remaining days will be based on specific themes like Swachh Samwad, Swachh Stations, Swachh Railgadi, Swachh Parisar, Swachh Ahar, Swachh Neer, Swachh Prasadhan and competitions. There will be a final review.
Safety for life
RN Singh, Divisional Railway Manager, Delhi, Northern Railway, said that several steps taken by the Railway Protection Force had helped prevent crimes on board.
Addressing a press conference on security at stations and in trains running in the Delhi Division, with special focus on the stations situated in National Capital Territory, he said measures taken by the RPF, especially the pro-active role through preventive arrests, had been a deterrent.
He said the CCTVs were a great tool in identifying repeat offenders or those suspected to be involved in special crime areas. He said the division has been undertaking focussed measures like activating special squads since the last three months to combat ticketless travellers and also sanitise station premises of unlawful elements. A total of 300 RPF personnel are patrolling vulnerable stretches in Delhi area 24 x 7. An average daily collection of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 is been registered through this measure. Besides, to thwart the incidence of looting of trains by criminal elements boarding from less prominent stations, he said the division has been conducting mapping of trains of loot-crime incidence on vulnerable trains and susceptible sections. The RPF personnel are also contributing to the crime prevention by conducting joint raids and preventive arrests with the GRP. This has resulted in reduction in crime vis-à-vis previous years. CCTVs available at 11 stations are being extended to cover another 24 stations and this will be progressively covered at others under the Nirbhaya Fund. Baggage scanners, door-frame metal detectors, equipment for RPF and walkie-talkies are being provided and enhanced as necessary tools.