SWR Celebrates 76th Republic Day with Pride and Achievements

Yogesh K Porwar 

S outh Western Railway (SWR) celebrated the 76th Republic Day at the Railway Institute South Ground in Hubballi.

Arvind Srivastava,General Manager,SWR,unfurled the national flag,inspected the parade,and received the General Salutes from the Parade.

In his address,Arvind Srivastava highlighted the remarkable achievements of South Western Railway during the first nine months of the financial year 2024-25.

He noted that SWR achieved a gross revenue of ₹6,001 crore, with passenger revenue amounting to ₹2,354.21 crore, reflecting a growth of 1.58%, and freight revenue standing at ₹3,264.76 crore.

Parcel revenue saw a growth of 7.41% to reach ₹126.49 crore, while scrap sales rose significantly from ₹95 crore to ₹148 crore.

SWR successfully loaded 32.38 million tonnes of freight, registering significant growth in food grains (464.3%), mineral oil (11.1%), fertilizers (9.7%), and container freight (8.0%).

Train operations also improved with an enhanced interchange efficiency of 2.6%, resulting in an average of 57.7 trains handled daily.

Shri Srivastava elaborated on the major infrastructure projects undertaken by SWR.The KAVACH system is being installed across 1,568 RKM at a cost of ₹485 crore, with approval for an additional 2,148 RKM.

Automatic signaling and yard remodeling projects in the Bengaluru region, costing ₹1,043.63 crore, aim to enhance safety and operational efficiency.

Significant progress has been made in doubling and laying new lines, with 13.87 km of doubling and 7.3 km of new lines commissioned.

The Bengaluru bypass line (6.14 km) has been approved at a cost of ₹248 crore, along with 12 FLS projects covering 1,556 km for doubling and quadrupling key sections.

Additionally, 18 Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and 12 Road Under Bridges (RUBs) worth ₹1,128 crore have been sanctioned.

To enhance train speeds, sectional speeds have been increased from 100 to 110 kmph across 200 Tkm,and the KSR Bengaluru-Jolarpettai section has been approved for operations at 130 kmph.

Electrification efforts have achieved significant milestones, with 30 RKM electrified and two new traction substations added, bringing the total electrified network to 3,256 RKM, which accounts for 88% of the network.

The transition to electric traction for 128 pairs of trains has resulted in savings of ₹170 crore and 32 lakh liters of diesel.

Solar power initiatives have also contributed, with 382.65 kWp commissioned, bringing the total capacity to 6.7 MW and saving ₹2.81 crore.

The implementation of Head-on Generation (HOG) in 90 trains has led to further savings of 124.62 lakh liters of diesel,reducing costs by ₹91.54 crore.

Srivastava emphasized SWR’s commitment to enhancing passenger services and punctuality.The zone operates 214 Mail/Express and 174 Passenger trains daily, with a punctuality rate of 88.11%, ranking fourth in Indian Railways.

Ten pairs of Vande Bharat trains have been introduced, along with a new MEMU service.To meet the demands of Kumbh Mela 2025, SWR added nine rakes and 1,799 extra coaches, generating revenue of ₹5.29 crore.

By December 2024, 451 special trains were operated, earning ₹179.95 crore,while 14 Aastha Special trains generated ₹2.27 crore.

Safety and security initiatives have also been prioritized. Under the “Nanhe Farishte” program, 479 children were rescued, while the “Jeevan Raksha” initiative saved four passengers.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) detected 166 touting cases, prosecuting 170 offenders and seizing 568 live tickets worth ₹14 lakh.

Efforts to enhance security include the ongoing installation of 3,000 CCTV cameras across 218 stations.

The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is driving extensive station redevelopment, with 53 stations being upgraded at a cost of ₹1,104 crore.

The Railway Board has approved 88 lifts at 40 stations and 72 escalators at 32 stations. Projects worth ₹425 crore have been sanctioned to improve passenger amenities,including the construction of two additional platforms at KSR Bengaluru Station at a cost of ₹222 crore.

The Republic Day celebrations included a Dog Squad Show, cultural programs, and a mock drill conducted by the Civil Defence Department to demonstrate preparedness in disaster management for railways.

The event was attended by Additional General Manager K.S.Jain,DRM Hubballi,Smt. Bela Meena,Principal Heads of Departments, and other dignitaries.Smt.Namitha Srivastava, President of the SWRWWO along with other members was also present.

South Western Railway remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing infrastructure, safety, and passenger experience in contributing to the nation’s progress.