Rajiv Chaudhry, General Manager Northern & North Central Railways held a performance review meeting with the departmental heads of Northern Railway through video conferencing from Baroda House, NR headquarter office. Among various issues, deliberations were on safety, enhancement of speed, infrastructure and train operations.
Keeping safety as the prime focus, he emphasised on improving the maintenance standards of tracks, coaches, wagons and locomotives. He also advised on training the staff and crew of the trains. He added that maintaining the tracks and its setup during the peak summer, monsoon and winter season should be done with utmost caution, as this is the time when cases of rail fractures, weathering, corrosion and displacement of sleepers are encountered. He also emphasised on periodical removal of vegetation and tree chopping along the tracks.
Speed enhancement of passenger trains to 160 Kmph and beyond is a challenging work taken by them. In this regard, infrastructure upgradation work in existing sections are being assessed and planned. Some sections which are on high density routes, have their own challenges, as obtaining long blocks for carrying out works is a major constraint. Execution strategies are being planned in the form of pre-fabrication of structures so as to complete maximum work in the short period allotted without disputing the normal train traffic.
To encourage use of railways for movement of freight, goods sheds are being revamped for ease and convenience of loading and unloading of goods. Many railway yards are also set for futuristic remodeling. This will enhance capacity for coaches and wagons. Staff deployment for such dedicated works will be increased, so as to complete the projects efficiently.
Speaking on the Station Remodeling of Ayodhya, Varanasi and Lucknow Railway stations, GM advised to put in sincere efforts to plan and execute the work. Expressing satisfaction on the performance of the various departments, Chaudhary said, “The pandemic is far from over, it is to be ensured that all laid down rules of staying safe from COVID are followed strictly all over NR.”