TIRUCHI
Engaged in primary maintenance of passenger coaches of various long distance express trains, the Coach Care Centre at Tiruchi has been recommended for the Integrated Management Systems (IMS) certification.
A senior representative from a private certifying agency inspected the Coach Care Centre for two days recently to get a first-hand account of various measures put in place connected with safety and health of the railway staff besides preparedness relating to disaster management among others as part of his audit.
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The Coach Care Centre which also has about 40 women technical and housekeeping staff carries out primary maintenance of the Chennai Egmore - Thanjavur - Chennai Egmore Uzhavan express; Tiruchi - Thiruvananthapuram - Tiruchi Intercity expresses; Tiruchi - Howrah and Mannargudi - Bhagat Ki Kothi expresses besides Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) rakes every day. It also carries out secondary maintenance of Tiruchi - Ganganagar Humsafar express.
Railway sources told The Hindu that the representative from Quest Certification Private Limited inspected the maintenance system, output, pit lines and the disaster management preparedness system, besides safety and health related measures put in place at the centre.
The representative went in detail regarding the safety parameters as part of his two-day inspection and had recommended IMS certification for the Coach Care Centre, the sources said. The IMS certification encompasses ISO 9001 for Quality Management, ISO 14001 for Environment Management System and OHSAS (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) 18,001 certification.
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The sources said the representative of the certifying agency had recommended to the accredited body seeking its approval for IMS certification to the Coach Care Centre. Railway officials exude confidence that the IMS certification would come through soon once the approval is granted.
The certification would only mean that the Coach Care Centre had complied with best standards and practices in safety, quality and health management with the audit having been done by a third party, a senior railway officer said.
This would further enhance the focus of the Coach Care Centre on passenger safety and amenities, the officer added.