Waltair Divisional Railway Manager Mukul Saran Mathur has exuded confidence that the city railway station will secure the first place at the national level in the QCI rankings next year.
“Visakhapatnam has been adjudged the ‘cleanest railway station’ in India by a surveu conducted by a media house and chosen for the ‘Safaigiri 2018’ award,” the DRM told the media here on Wednesday.
Visakhapatnam was adjudged the ‘best clean station’ among the busiest railway stations in Indian Railways last year and the best tourist friendly station in Andhra Pradesh.
He attributed the rank of the railway station falling to the 10th place in the QCI survey this year to the ongoing civil works such as widening of the Central FoB and civil works in the circulating area. The station has a very high footfall of 70,000 passengers a day. It also serves to more than 1 lakh passengers, Mr. Mathur said.
The adoption of integrated mechanised cleaning strategy, increasing the frequency of cleaning of platforms and toilets, garbage disposal and provision of dustbins at platforms helps maintain the cleanliness round-the-clock at the station.
Sanitation mantra
“Measures are taken to create awareness among passengers by adopting modern methods to ensure cleanliness in trains and at stations, beautification of the premises and forging CSR partnerships for promotion of cleanliness,” he said.
Laying emphasis was on use of ‘recycled water’ for cleaning of platforms and toilets, he said a world-class modern toilet block named ‘refreshing lounge’ would be built soon with facilities such as shower and massage chair.
The DRM received the ‘Safaigiri 2018’ award from the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari at a function held in Mumbai on Tuesday.
“We have not applied for the award. The organisers nominated the station based on the cleanliness methodologies adopted here,” Mr. Mathur added.