Title - The Hindu : NATIONAL / TAMIL NADU : Salem Railway Division steps into sixth year

Construction of foot overbridge and provision for passenger lifts at stations, electrification of two routes and opening of Salem – Namakkal – Karur broad gauge section were the major plans that Salem Railway Division would execute in the coming days.

On completion of five years, after bifurcated from Palghat Division on November 1, 2007, the division has issued a release on Thursday highlighting the growth of the division, about the new services introduced, passenger amenities provided at stations, safety measures undertaken for passenger security and its future plans.

After formation of the division, five pairs of express trains and eight pairs of passenger trains were added to the service, with the division running 120 passenger trains serving about 95,000 originating passengers every day.

Battery-operated cars at Salem Junction, additional platforms at Salem and Coimbatore, improvement in circulating area in Salem, Erode, Tirupur and Coimbatore, improvements at Coimbatore Junction, electronic chart display systems at major stations and GPRS based train movement indication board at major stations in the junction were the amenities provided for the benefit of passengers.

The release said that road shows were conducted to create awareness on safe crossing of unmanned level crossings, advising passengers not to carry inflammable materials and scholarships provided for wards of the division employees for undergoing professional courses.

The release also said that the division has bagged the Overall Efficiency Shield among the divisions of Southern Railway for 2010 and 2011 and gross earning crossing Rs. 500 crore during the year 2011-12.