Southern Railway clocks 47% growth in gross earnings

CHENNAI: Southern Railway has witnessed a healthy growth in earnings, loading, safety, punctuality, project commissioning and passenger amenities, said general manager R N Singh.

The zone has registered 47% growth in gross earnings when compared to 2021-22. In freight loading, the zone registered a 28% increase over the last year.

He said as part of measures to augment infrastructure for improved efficiency and speed of freight and passenger trains, the zone commissioned 116.32km of doubling and gauge conversion work so far as against 35.47km done during 2021-22, which is an increase of 250%.

"To improve mobility, we have enhanced the speed on some routes covering 743 km during this year as against 137 km in 2021-22."

Detailing about passenger-oriented developments, Singh said Southern Railway has provided Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rakes in 16 trains in place of ICF rakes, apart from electrifying 188 km in 2022-23. With this, 87% of routes in the zone has been electrified ."

He also said that 43 level crossing gates have been interlocked. This increases the safety aspect at level crossings in 2022-23.

The electric loco shed in Arakkonam has been adjudged as the best performing shed in the Railways this year, he added

Commending the RPF, he said 634 offenders were arrested and railway property was recovered, along with the arrest of 88 persons in hawala dealings. Gold and silver worth '33 crore was also seized in 2022, he said.

Around 2,205 runaway children were rescued by RPF staff, he added.

The force also seized contraband and stolen belongings of passengers worth '24 crore. It arrested 416 touts and seized railway e-tickets worth '1.4 crore.