TANDA URMAR

Southern Railway’s Signal & Telecommunication Workshop at Podanur has been awarded the prestigious Integrated Management Systems (IMS) Certification.  The certification has been granted by LMS Certification Ltd, United Kingdom, an esteemed International Forum functioning under the International Accreditation Service (IAS), USA and a member of International Accreditation Forum, Inc. (IAF).

Signal & Telecommunication Workshop, Podanur is the first among similar Workshops across the Nation including the Railway Workshops to have achieved this remarkable feat. Also, it is the o­nly entity under the Indian Railways to acquire all the Five Certifications integrated to Management System (IMS) such as :

1.Quality Management System - ISO 9001:2015,

2.Environment Management System - ISO 14001:2015,

3.Occupational Health and Safety Management System - ISO 45001:2018,

4.Energy Management System - ISO 500001:2018 and

5.Food safety Management System - ISO 22000:2018

The 62 year old Workshop has evolved as a premier institution in the field of Signaling and Telecommunications by adopting cutting-edge technologies in ensuring safety of train movements and ensuring optimization of line capacity.  The Workshop has achieved several milestones in the field of modernization of Signalling Systems to cater the needs of the ever expanding railway organization.

The Signal & Telecom Workshop of Southern Railway, which was functioning as a small Repair Unit at Golden Rock / Tiruchchirappalli was shifted to Podanur o­n 09.04.1958 with a staff strength of 60.   The major shift in the Workshop’s activities from Repair and Overhauling of the Signal & Telecommunication Equipments to the manufacturing sphere happened over the years from 1968 to 1977 with the expansion of infrastructure and in-house development of new Signalling Products viz. Electrical Signal Machine, Electrical Signal Reverser, SGE Type Double Line Block Instrument, Single Line Token Less Block Instrument, Combined Type GRS 5E Point Machine, etc.  With the manufacturing of vital Signalling Relays, this Workshop became the supplier to the entire Indian Railways.  In the year 1978, this Workshop started production of Electronic Axle Counters and in the year 1995-96, this Workshop started the production of Universal Axle Counters and IRS Rotary Locking Type Point Machine as per the design of RDSO, LUCKNOW.  This Workshop is set to manufacture Single Section Digital Axle Counters and Universal Fail Safe Block Interfaces also.

Integrated Management Systems

An Integrated Management System (IMS) combines all aspects of an organisation's systems, processes and Standards into o­ne smart system. This merger allows a business to streamline its management, save time and increase efficiency by addressing all elements of the management system as a whole.

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                            दक्षिण पश्चिम रेलवे/ SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY                                प्रेस विज्ञप्ति/ Press Release No. 262 Dt: 25.07.2021

ALERT CREW TAKE TIMELY ACTION TO SAVE

 PASSENGERS LIVES

General Manager Shri Gajanan Mallya appreciated the presence of mind, swift action by the Loco Pilot, Asst Loco Pilot and Guard of the Train No 01134 (Mangaluru Jn - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai). He also announced a cash award to recognise their good deed.

On 23.7.2021, at about 6.10 AM, while driving the engine of this train from Kulem towards Castle Rock (up the Ghat), at km 39/800 near Dudhsagar-Sonaulim section, the Locopilot of the leading engine Shri Ranjeet Kumar observed that the mud was slipping ahead o­n the track from the side walls of the hill beside the track, due to continuous very heavy rainfall. Sensing danger, he immediately applied emergency brakes and brought the train to a stop. Due to mud and soil mixed boulders o­n the track, the engine got derailed along with 2 set of wheels, despite the immediate braking. He informed the Station Master of Dudhsagar about the same, to give message to Control Office, Hubballi. Upon noticing emergency brake being applied, the Guard of the train Shri Shailder Kumar applied hand brakes to the Brake Van, which is situated rear most of the train and then proceeded to the engine. Parallely the Guard and Locopilot instructed the Assistant Locopilots of the leading and banking engines to place detonators at stipulated distance o­n the track at both rear & front, and also secured the train by tying chains to the track, placing wheel-skids etc as per standard safety protocol.

Ranjeet and Shailender noticed that from the steep cutting of the hill beside the track, slush and mud were also falling o­n the coaches immediately rear to the front engine. In order to ensure protection of passengers, they shifted the passengers from the first 3 coaches to the rear coaches, and un-coupled these coaches from the rest of the train. Displaying alertness, and presence of mind, the crew took instruction from their senior Officers in Hubballi Divisional Control Office and utilised the rear (banking) engine to pull the train with 345 passengers back to Kulem Station. The Guard Shri Shailender Kumar accompanied along with Locopilot Shri SD Meena, Assistant Loco Pilot Shri SK Saini to take the train safely, with passengers to Kulem, while Ranjeet Kumar and his Assistant Shri Hashid K stayed back with the derailed engine near the spot to assist in restoration.

BACKGROUND OF THE GHAT SECTION

The Castle Rock - Kulem Ghat section is 27 kms long: it is single line rail section passing through western Ghats in uninhabited territory through forested area. The entire Ghat section has a steep gradient (1 in 37) and trains are pushed with engines in rear (for providing sufficient horsepower) in addition to the engines in front. The stations between Castle Rock and Kulem, namely Caranzol, Dudhsagar & Sonaulim are connected o­nly by rail with no road connectivity. This is a challenging terrain. o­n 22.7.21 and 23.7.21, this section witnessed an intense rainfall of 640 mm in 48 hours, which resulted in land-slide.

For displaying courage and exemplary presence of mind in taking swift action to shift passengers to safer coaches, and transport the train back to Kulem, the General Manager SWR Shri Gajanan Mallya has appreciated the Crew and announced a cash reward as a sign of encouragement. The Crew of this train, have acted as ‘first responder’ at site, even before the rescue team arrived, resulting in saving of the lives of passengers

                                                                                       Chief Public Relations Officer