South Western Railway (SWR) has registered an increase of 19 per cent in originating passenger earnings and a 12 per cent increase in freight earnings.
Delivering the Republic Day speech at Railway Sports Ground here on Monday, SWR general manager Pradeep Kumar Saxena said that the SWR had carried 146 million passengers till December, registering an increase of 1 per cent and earning Rs. 1,352 crore.
In the same period, it carried 27.63 million tonnes of freight, registering an increase of 7 per cent, and earned Rs. 2,401 crore.
“We have also generated an operating surplus of Rs. 344 crore,” he said.
Mr. Saxena said that during the current fiscal, 45 unmanned level crossings had been eliminated. “SWR is continuously strengthening the security apparatus at stations and in trains to ensure safe travel for the passengers. An adequate number of personnel have been deployed on escort duty in 91 trainswith special emphasis to take care of ladies’ compartment. Closed circuit cameras have been installed at 11 major stations , he said.
Focus on amenities
Elaborating about the focus given to improving passenger amenities, he said that a subway connecting platforms 1 to 2 and 3 in Hubballi railway station had been extended to platforms 4 and 5. The work was in the final stages. Divisional Railway Manager of Hubballi Division of SWR Sanjeev Mittal said that the division had registered an increase of 18.94 per cent and 13.81 per cent in the originating passenger earnings and freight earnings respectively.
The division had maintained an overall punctuality of 97 per cent in train timings, converted 114 unmanned level crossings into ‘manned’ with ‘gate-mitras’ and constructed 10 limited height subways to eliminate level crossings.
Freight earnings have gone up by 12 p.c., says general manager Pradeep Kumar Saxena
‘The operating surplus of Rs. 344 crore’
