Rly observed the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as Community Service day

Surat tops cleanliness survey in NSG 1 category Andheri Virar Naigaon Kandivali tops in SG category

Rly observed the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as “Community Service” day, wherein the railway officers and employees alongwith various stakeholders including NGOs and Charitable Organiztions, Railway colony staff and their families, general public conducted a massive cleanliness drive across Western Railway to mark the ocassion.

To add more joy W. Rly’s several stations has found prominent place in the All India third party audit and cleanliness survey ranking of 407 major stations. In Non Suburban (NSG)- 1 category of stations, Surat station tops the list over the Indian Railways while in Non Suburban (NSG) category Udhna and Surat stations stands at 16 & 18 ranking respectively. In the SG category of stations, the top four spots were bagged by stations of W. Rly’s Mumbai Division, namely Andheri, Virar, Naigaon & Kandivali respectively while Borivali & Santacruz secured 9th & 10th position respectively over Indian Railways.

According to a press release issued by WR CPRO Ravinder Bhakar, the activities on this day commenced with administration of pledge on Swachhta and non use of single-use plastics by Principal Head of Departments, Divisional Railway Managers and senior railway officers at various places. More than 80 Officers and railway staff actively participated in the Prabhat Pheri at Pali Hill Railway Officers’ and Staff Colony alongwith Badhwar Park & other colonies.

Archana Gupta – President of Western Railway Women Welfare Organization (WRWWO) visited Santacruz Railway colony and distributed cloth bags to the residents of the colony. She also planted trees and keenly followed Nukkad Natak performance. A Student Solar Ambassador Workshop was conducted at Utsav Hall, Badhwar Park Colony. As a part of Gandhi Global Solar Yatra, which was planned by IIT Bombay across 50 countries, the children of Railway officers participated in the event administering Pledge for Non Violence to Environment on International Day of non violence, 2nd Octber, 2019.

This effort was made to make children aware about the environment and importance of solar power in saving the earth from global warming but also the children could get hands on training in assembling the solar table lamps. They can proudly use the lamp for their studies. Explaining Importance of Solar energy and effects of climate change the children were given hands on training to assemble a Solar Lamp Kit. The kit Assembly programme was conducted by Anand Lokde – Assisstant Secretary of General Manager and Shri Anand Kuvalekar, SSE/Rajdhani, Mumbai Central. The event was coordinated by Rajneesh Tomar Secretary, Western Railway and Anand Kumar Secretary, Railway Officers Club.

At Mumbai Central station, Digital Museum of Gandhiji’s Murals and Quotes was inaugurated by Sunil Kumar – Divisional Railway Manager – Mumbai Central. Volunteers of Sant Nirankari Mission comprising of Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Chartered Accountants and all walks of society came forward for cleanliness drive at Mumbai Central station and Bandra Terminus stations. EMU Workshop Mahalaxmi have been painted the exterior of a local train (Rake No. 6037-6038) with pictures and slogans of ‘Swachhta Hi Seva” and 150 years of celebrating “The Mahatma”.

Similarly, Train No. 12009 Mumbai Central – Ahmedbad Shatabdi Express was cleaned impeccably and decorated with posters with Mahatma Gandhi’s messages, flag and Swacchta logo on all coaches and decorated with tricolour balloons. At Dahanu Road station Swachhta rally was undertaken by the students of Rustomjee college, volunteers Jain social group and 50 railway staff with RPF team. 200 Car Dustbins were distributed by Gujarat Prantiy Marwadi Yuva Manch at Surat station.

In Ahmedabad Division, the Divisional staff took the Swachhta Pledge on the Sabarmati river front and organized a cleanliness rally till Vivekananda Bridge. At Ahmedabad station 250 volunteers of Saint Nirankari organization gathered for shramdan and took the Swachhta pledge. “Mahatma Gandhi’s statue with movable charkha” made entirely of scrap material by the Sabarmati Diesel Loco Care Centre, has been installed at Platform No. 1 of Sabarmati station, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

A noteworthy mention is the special cleanliness drive “Swachchta Hi Sewa” Swachhta Pakhwada was observed from 16th September, 2019 to 30th September, 2019 over Indian Railways with a view to ensure visible and tangible improvement in cleanliness at all its premises like stations, trains, offices, colonies, workshops, maintenance depots, hospitals, with special emphasis to eradicate the use of plastics in railway premises was celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour. Accordingly, Indian Railways has also put a ban on single use plastics from 2nd October, 2019.