Latest news with #SouthernRailway
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- The Hindu
Pasting of unauthorised posters mars the aesthetics in several railway stations
The menace of unauthorised pasting of posters is not only prevalent at bus stops and public places in the Chennai Corporation limits, but is also rather prominent in railway stations and suburban trains. The pasting of posters, , mars the appearance of several railway stations in the city, even as officials at these stations fear removing the posters due to their sensitive nature. While large posters by trade unions mar the appearance of the railway stations, smaller posters from commercial institutions dot the coaches of the electric multiple units (EMUs). Several railway stations, including Guindy, Saidapet, Perambur Loco, Beach, Kodambakkam, and Thirumullaivoyal in and around the city, all have unauthorised posters adorning their walls, spoiling the aestethics and overall look. Even when these posters are removed, they leave lasting glue stains on the walls. P. Balaraman, who regularly commutes from Guindy to Avadi, said unauthorised posters — mostly by railway trade unions and, in some places, political parties — are pasted in Saidapet railway station. This station is currently being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, incidentally. In some stations including Perambur Loco and Hindu College, posters of private functions are also installed near the railway tracks or on the walls of public conveniences. Consumer activist T. Sadagopan said the Southern Railway, which creates awareness about Swachh Bharat by organising Swachhta Pakhwada campaigns to keep railway stations clean, should similarly create awareness among railway staff and various union members to avoid pasting posters on railway premises. He said announcements through the public address systems installed in stations should also be used to spread awareness. A senior official of the Chennai Division said that pasting posters in suburban trains or at railway stations is a punishable offence carrying fines under Section 166 of the Railway Act, 1989, and is enforced by the Railway Protection Force (RPF). The RPF has been conducting a sustained campaign to remove unauthorised posters from railway premises, with nearly 30 cases filed against offenders. Regarding the posters put up by trade unions, the railway official said the Southern Railway, based on the advice of the Railway Board, has allotted separate spaces in various railway stations for recognised trade unions to display union-related information and would soon take steps to enforce this.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Special trains between Madurai and Rameswaram for fest
Madurai: In view of the Aadi Thirukalyanam festival at the Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, Southern Railway will operate one pair of unreserved express special trains between Madurai Junction and Rameswaram on July 23 and 24. Train No. 06711 Madurai–Rameswaram special will depart Madurai at 11.15pm on July 23 and reach Rameswaram at 2.30am on July 24. In the return direction, train No. 06712 Rameswaram–Madurai special will leave Rameswaram at 3am on July 24 and reach Madurai at 6am the same day. The special trains will stop at Madurai East, Tiruppuvanam, Manamadurai, Paramakudi, and Ramanathapuram. The train will consist of 14 general second class coaches and two luggage-cum-brake van coaches. Southern Railway has also announced the temporary augmentation of four passenger trains between Madurai - Rameswaram - Madurai on July 24 with three additional general second class coaches each. The services are train No. 56714, 56712, 56713, and 56716. Railway officials have requested passengers to make use of the special arrangements for hassle-free travel during the festival.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
These trains won't reach and leave Coimbatore junction on two days
COIMBATORE: Southern Railway has announced changes in train services to carry out track renewal work at Podanur railway yard. In a press release, Salem Railway Division stated that Train No 16722 Madurai – Coimbatore Express, scheduled to leave Madurai at 7.05am, will be short-terminated at Pollachi on July 25 and 27. The train will run from Madurai to Pollachi only; it will not run from Pollachi to Coimbatore on those days. Train no 16608 Coimbatore – Kannur Express, scheduled to leave Coimbatore at 1.50 pm, will instead leave from Palakkad at 3.10pm on July 25 and 27. The train will not run from Coimbatore to Palakkad; it will leave from Palakkad and run up to Kannur on those days.
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
Sabari Express upgraded to superfast
The Railway Board has approved the proposal to speed up Train No. 17229/17230 Thiruvananthapuram Central – Secunderabad – Thiruvananthapuram Central Sabari Express to Superfast Express. According to a statement issued by the Southern Railway Thiruvananthapuram division on Tuesday, consequent to speeding, the train Number will be changed to train No. 20630/20629 Thiruvananthapuram Central – Secunderabad – Thiruvananthapuram Central Sabari Express. Further, the train service will be delinked from Train No. 12763/12764 Tirupati – Secunderabad – Tirupati Padmavati Express and Train No. 12731/12732 Tirupati – Secunderabad – Tirupati Express. The new proposal to upgrade the Sabari Express to a superfast train will come into effect from September 29. As part of upgrading the train to superfast, there would be minor changes in the timing of the train at various stations across the State.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
After near-miss incident, railway station masters to be relieved of non-core duties
CHENNAI: After a near-miss incident in which a collision between two express trains was averted at the last minute between Kovilpatti and Kadambur stations on June 24, Southern Railway has decided to relieve station masters from non-core duties such as ticket issuance, public announcement system maintenance, and other unrelated tasks, to improve operational safety. According to sources, the incident was allegedly caused due to lack of communication between a loco pilot and a station master. While an alert railway official had managed to avert the collision by cutting the power supply to one of the trains, three railway officials, including Senior Divisional Operations Manager of the Madurai railway division, were suspended last month based on the findings of a safety audit report, official sources said. As per an order issued by General Manager R N Singh dated July 4, all station masters of railway stations handling more than 24 trains per day must be relieved of their non-core duties before September 1. Though the order did not have any reference to the incident, it was allegedly issued based on recommendations from the high-level safety committee that investigated the safety lapse linked to the near-miss incident on the Kovilpatti-Kadambur section of Thoothukudi district. In the directive, Singh noted that station masters are currently tasked with duties, including ticket sales, public announcements, passenger inquiries, updating coach indication systems, and dealing with the Crew Management System Kiosk. These responsibilities, he said, diverted their attention from their primary role of ensuring smooth train operation and safety. To allow station masters to focus solely on core operational duties, he ordered that they be relieved of all non-operational tasks by September 1.
