The Hubballi Division of South Western Railway has carried 10.98 million tonnes of freight registering an increase of 26% in freight loading and earnings of ₹1,050 crore which is 44.43% more when compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
Delivering the Independence Day speech on his office premises in Hubballi, Divisional Railway Manager Arvind Malkhede said that various steps helped in getting additional revenue in freight.
Mr. Malkhede said that apart from the regular freight movement, consignments of bajra from Bagalkot, iron ore from Ranjitpura and Yesvantnagar, pellets from MBIV siding, cotton seed husk and automobile (ambulance) from Navlur, manganese ore from Sandur siding, cement from Khajjidoni and Bagalkot are now being transported via rail.
He said that the monthly parcel revenue of Hubballi Division had crossed the ₹1-crore mark in October 2020. And, the division crossed the ₹2-crore mark in parcel revenue for the first time in May 2021. In July 2021, parcel revenue of ₹2.61 crore, which was the highest ever parcel earning in a month registered by the division, was earned, he said.
“The Diesel Loco Shed, Hubballi, is the first railway unit to implement User Depot Module (UDM) in South Western Railway. This module is created by CRIS for carrying out material transaction through digitisation,” he said.
He said that special thrust is being given to infrastructure and passenger amenities. New foot overbridges have been provided at Dharwad, Ballari Cantonment and Ballari railway stations and a high level platform with improved platform surface have been provided at Alnavar and Ballari Cantonment railway stations, he said.
This apart, a Video Surveillance System has been commissioned at Vijayapura with 25 cameras. And, to attract new traffic and to provide rail services, goods handling facility has been developed at Khajjidoni station, he said.
Mr. Malkhede said that to treat COVID-19 infected patients, 125 beds have been earmarked at the Railway Hospital in Hubballi and till date, 2,100 such patients have been treated at the hospital. By July-end, 11,556 persons were administered the first dose of vaccine and 2,446 had received both the doses, he said.
On the occasion, Mr. Malkhede honoured 46 employees with various awards for their exemplary service. SWRWWO Hubballi Division president Meenal Gandhe, Additional Divisional Railway Managers Jogendra Yadvendu and Vishwas Kumar, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner Valleswar B. Thokala, Senior Divisional Personnel Officer K. Asif Hafiz and others were present.
Subsequently, SWRWWO Hubballi Division donated two micro ovens and eight electric kettles to the Hubballi Railway Hospital.
