Tiruchi railway junction on the track for ‘Green’ rating

Southern Railway has proposed to seek ‘Green rating’ for Tiruchi railway junction, a major ‘A’ category station falling under its jurisdiction.

The rating system was evolved by Confederation of Indian Industry on a request from the Environment and Health Management Directorate of the Railway Board. A few stations were handpicked for rating as a pilot project including Secunderabad in South Western Railway and Jaipur in North Western Railway.

The station will be rated on points based on which silver, gold and platinum ratings will be given. To achieve silver rating, the station will have to get anywhere between 60 and 69 points; 70– 79 points for gold rating and 80 – 100 for platinum rating.

In an effort to achieve good rating, the railway authorities have decided to engage an agency to guide them and offer suggestions in areas which needs improvement to get the tag.

The proposed shortlisted agency will essentially focus on five key areas – sustainable facilities focussing on passenger amenities, health, hygiene and sanitation, energy efficiency, water efficiency and smart and green initiatives at the station that includes green cover in the vicinity of the premises.

The Tiruchi divisional railway authorities have set the process in motion by floating tender for engaging an agency to ascertain the requirements and measures that need to be put in place for obtaining the green rating.

Senior railway officials told The Hindu that representatives of the identified agency would inspect Tiruchi railway junction to conduct a study and get a first-hand account of the existing facilities in place. The agency officials were expected to visit the station at least thrice.

The agency would identify the gaps that needed to be plugged and areas that required further improvements at the station witnessing heavy passenger movements especially during morning and night hours when rail traffic was high.

The shortlisted agency would basically spell out the strengths and weaknesses and carry out gap analysis based on which necessary measures would be carried out to achieve the green rating tag, said an official.

Tenders for identifying the agency had been floated the offcial said adding that it would be shortlisted in January. “Our goal is to achieve platinum rating”, the official added.

Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/tiruchi-railway-junction-on-the-track-for-green-rating/article21014316.ece