South Central Railway Celebrates 75th Republic Day
South Central Railway celebrated the 75th Republic Day today i.e., 26th January, 2024 at Railway Sports Complex Grounds, Secunderabad. Shri Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager, South Central Railway, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion unfurled the National Flag and received the Guard of Honour presented by various contingents of Railway Protection Force.
Delivering his address, Shri Arun Kumar Jain extended his greetings to the entire Railway fraternity on the momentous occasion of 75th Republic Day. He stated that the Indian Constitution stands as an enduring testament to the great ideals, sowed by our visionary leaders, which have been instrumental in shaping our nation and continue to be a source of inspiration for us. He informed that South Central Railway has recorded exceptional performance in the current financial year with the Zone registering its best-ever earnings for the first nine months in any financial year during 2023-24.
SCR achieved Rs.14, 738 Crs in Gross Originating Revenue during April – December 2023, which is higher by Rs. 950 crs over previous year. The Zone also created history by surpassing 100 MTs in Originating Freight Loading and Rs. 10,000 crs in Originating Freight Revenue within the shortest ever time period in its history. Simultaneously, the Zone carried nearly 200 million originating passengers during April-December 2023, thereby earning Rs. 4,286 Crores in Originating Passenger Revenue, he said.
The General Manager stated that the exceptional performance in earnings was matched by the Zone’s relentless focus on infrastructure creation. During April – December 2023, SCR spent Rs 13,452 crores in Capital Expenditure, the highest ever in its history during the first 9 months of any financial year, he said. This has contributed towards rapid infrastructure creation aiding in capacity enhancement over its rail network.
In the Current Financial Year, the Zone has commissioned 11 Kms of New Lines, 105 kms of Double Lines and 96 kms of Third Line works. Further, he stated that Mission Electrification got a major push with nearly 94% of the existing SCR’s BG rail network completing electrification. He informed that the Zone has also taken up the task of Station Redevelopment on Mission mode. Nearly 119 Stations across SCR have been taken up for Station Redevelopment at a cost of nearly Rs. 7,000 crs, as part of “Amrit Bharat Station Scheme”.
Shri Arun Kumar Jain stated that safety continues to be foremost priority for SCR. During the current financial year, 41 Manned Level crossings have been eliminated to enhance road and rail safety. Further, 21 Road under Bridges (RUBs) and 06 Road over Bridges (ROBs) were constructed, apart from Rehabilitating 91 existing bridges. Notably, the Zone has also completed 468 kms of track renewal works during April – December 2023, which is the highest-ever achievement during the first nine months in any financial year, he added.
He stated that the current financial year also witnessed SCR introducing additional services for the benefit of rail passengers. It was a moment of pride for the Zone, as our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri. Narendra Modi ji, flagged-off 4 Vande Bharat Express Trains, 13 MMTS Train Services and 2 Passenger Train Services on different occasions, he said. Further, while another two pairs of express trains and 1 Passenger Train services were introduced, 18 Express Trains and 20 MMTS Suburban Services were extended to new destinations during the year. To meet the passenger transportation demands, 4,267 special trains were operated and 5,028 extra coaches attached to express trains which helped in meeting the travel needs o more than 35 lakh passengers, he added.
Speaking on the security front, he stated that the Security Wing of SCR has initiated various operations like Operation Yatri Suraksha, Operation Amanat etc. More than 1500 children were rescued by our agile RPF personnel under Operation Nanhe Farishte and Operation AAHT. Under Operation Rail Suraksha, Rs 1.27 crores Railway property has been recovered.
Later, cultural programs viz., patriotic songs & dance performance by Railway employees, Railway School and College Students enthralled the gathering. The RPF Commandos showcased various skills pertaining to safety, martial arts and bike stunts. RPF Dog Squad performed various stunts which captivated the audience.
