Southern Railway is doing well as far as operation of ‘Bharat Gaurav’ trains are concerned. “We are the most successful railway and no other railway has run so many ‘Bharat Gaurav’ trains”, Southern Railway General Manager B.G. Mallya said here on Tuesday.
In a brief interaction with reporters at the Golden Rock Railway Workshop here, Mr. Mallya said five ‘Bharat Gaurav’ trains were being run. One more train would be operated on September 30, three in October and one in November. The trains would be running in various circuits such as Coimbatore - Shirdi enroute Mantrayalam. Two to three circuits had been identified. ‘Bharat Gaurav’ trains were theme-based tourist circuit trains operated with the objective to showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of the country and the world.
Replying to a query, Mr. Mallya said operation of Vande Bharat express trains in Tamil Nadu would take some time. “We are expecting a few rakes in the current financial year”.
Earlier, flagging off the first steam locomotive with High Speed Diesel firing system manufactured at the workshop for operation in the hilly Nilgiri Mountain Railway section, Mr. Mallya complimented the staff for their efforts in its manufacture. “Had we got this locomotive from overseas, the cost would have been much higher,” he said.
Mr. Mallya also flagged off the 606th overhauled diesel locomotive belonging to a public sector undertaking along with newly modified goods high speed rake which can transport automobiles. The Golden Rock Railway Workshop is very strong on innovations, he said..
The workshop excels in all disciplines be it the concern for environment, making new types of wagons and pursuance of the Prime Minister’s policy of ‘Athma Nirbhar Bharat’ by developing cost-effective steam locomotives. “This is perhaps the only workshop which had exported locomotives to Afro-Asian countries,” he further said.
Mr. Mallya, on his annual inspection, earlier went around the workshop. Chief Workshop Manager, Golden Rock Railway Workshop, Shyamadhar Ram and senior officials of Southern Railway and workshop accompanied the General Manager.
