CR outsources clean-up of major stations
Devraj Dasgupta | TNN
Mumbai: The stinking, littered and paan-splattered suburban stations of
Central Railway may soon present a cleaner visage. CR has appointed a
private agency to improve garbage collection and disposal across 31 stations
in Mumbai. The move follows the railway ministry’s emphasis on the ‘look and
feel’ factor and was apparently triggered by a rap on official knuckles from
the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
The chosen agency, a labourers’ co-operative, will clear litter like
empty water bottles and plastic wrappers and unclog blocked drains in and
around major stations from CST to Thakurli and Mankhurd.CR starts spick ‘n span drive
Pvt Agency Hired To Improve ‘Look And Feel’ At 31 Stations
Devraj Dasgupta I TNN
Mumbai: Always criticised for lack of cleanliness along the tracks and on
station premises, the Central Railway (CR) has for the first time appointed
a private agency to improve collection and disposal of garbage across 31
stations in the city.
The CR, which ferries more than 35 lakh commuters every day, has so far
never bothered to focus on the issue. Now with the ministry stating that
‘look and feel’ is an important parameter, the CR has decided to focus on
cleaning up. A recent rebuke from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board
(MPCB) also has an important role in the clean-up drive.
According to railway officials, the private agency’s task would be a
comprehensive one and not just restricted to picking up litter such as empty
bottles and plastic wrappers dumped by passengers. For instance, garbage
clogging the mouth of drains would be targeted as it has created havoc in
the past few years with tracks getting waterlogged during in rain. Even this
monsoon, CR services were disrupted many times following flooding of tracks
that was triggered by blocked drains.
The agency appointed by CR is the Vilas Mazdoor Kamgar Sahakari Sanstha,
a cooperative body of labourers. The agency will have to deploy teams to
collect garbage along tracks and remove floating material in railway drains
within 50 m from the platform on both sides.
“The garbage would include all types of plastic material, food waste,
paper, tetra packs and any other solid object. The agency people will have
to then dispose of the collected garbage into the nearest BMC dustbin,”
said the CR official.
He said the agency has been asked to clean up tracks and drains of at
least five to six stations every day. “The idea is to have concentrated
clean-up drives around five to six stations daily besides regular cleaning
by railway safai staff,” he said. The agency will cover every station at
least twice a week.
The ragpicking contract covers all stations from CST to Thakurli on the
main line and upto Mankhurd on the harbour line, said the official. The
stations in Navi Mumbai, beyond Mankhurd, are already cleaned by private
house-keeping agency appointed by the City and Industrial Development
Corporation (Cidco).
In the next phase, the CR plans to introduce mechanised cleaning at LTT,
Kurla, Dadar, Thane and Kalyan.
CLEANING UP LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS
The Central Railway has started a thorough cleanup of long-distance
trains at two junctions, Ballarshah and Solapur. Toilets of incoming trains
are cleaned with highpressure water jets followed by mopping and vacuum
cleaning of common areas like doorways and passages. The dustbins are
emptied and window panes wiped in airconditioned compartments regularly. CR
officials said Ballarshah is the main crossover point for trains going from
north to south, while all trains from Mumbai to south halt at Solapur.
Publication:Times Of India Mumbai; Date:Oct 17, 2007; Section:Front Page;
Page Number:3
URL : http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDA3LzEwLzE3I0FyMDA3MDA=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom