In order to maximise its non-fare revenue, the Tiruchi Railway Division has put in place a series of initiatives which includes awarding contracts for display of advertisements on the exterior of electric locomotives.
Contracts have been awarded for display of advertisements in 10 electric locomotives for a period of three years. Eight locomotives with advertisements on its exterior are in operation and painting works are under way in another two locomotives. The total contract value exceeded over ₹50 lakh through the initiative alone, a senior railway official said.
Tenders would be called soon for awarding contracts in 10 more electric locomotives. This is the first time that the Tiruchi Division has awarded contracts for display of advertisements in the exterior of electric locomotives in order to augment its non-fare revenue, the official said.
Another initiative launched by the division during the current fiscal to maximise non-fare revenue is the awarding of contract for setting up of Body Mass Index Kiosks through commercial publicity route at 16 stations over the division for a period of five years with the total contract value exceeding ₹24.6 lakh.
The kiosks have been set up to enable passengers to check their height, weight and body mass index free of cost. The contract has been awarded in line with the directives of the Railway Board to replicate the non-fare revenue initiatives taken by other railway divisions for providing health-related kiosks.
Yet another non-fare initiative put in place during this fiscal was the awarding of contract for cleaning, collection and removal of spillage coal at the Tiruchi Goods Yard for a period of three years with the total contract value being ₹7.48 lakh.
Railway sources said the accumulation of coal spillage from freight wagons caused obstruction of tracks as it would completely cover the rails posing a threat of fire risk to men and material at the goods yard. This initiative would not only mitigate the problem but also help in saving ₹0.96 lakhs per annum for the expenditure incurred towards labour cost involved for cleaning of spillage coal from the tracks.
Setting up of Pulse Active Station Kiosks at six stations for a total contract value of ₹2.8 lakh for a period of one year to enable passengers to have easy access to basic tests such as blood pressure, pulse rate and body fat percentage for a nominal price is among the other initiatives.
