Matunga Workshop cleaning drive

In order to address the disposal of unsegregated industrial waste from its workshop located at Matunga, the Central Railway is planning to outsource the job to a government authorised agency shortly. The agency to be hired will also engage in sweeping surrounding road of the premises, shopfloor and office area, and garbage sorting at the Matunga workshop with the help of about 150 trained workers.

Speaking to Clean India Journal at the workshop, AK Singh, Chief Workshop Manager, said, “We will be awarding the contract to a competent agency through an open tender. Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai-approved agencies will also be invited to participate in the bid. We are in the process of framing the works proposal, making technical evaluation and analysing the quantum of work. The job will entail an annual expenditure of र1.25 crore.”

A modernisation programme to build new roads, roofs and floors is also in the offing in order to make the infrastructure conducive for mechanised cleaning. “We are looking for skilled and trained manpower for cleaning and housekeeping for which there is a dearth in the market,” Singh informed. The Matunga Workshop has introduced Green Toilets which runs on Controlled Discharge System of Toilets (CDTS) based on an automated monitoring system to maintain cleanliness and hygiene of the railway platforms. The automated system ensures that the discharge gets activated once the train leaves the platform.

There are also plans to outsource unsegregated industrial waste disposal from the Matunga workshop to a government authorized agency.

This again will be finalized through an open tender. Currently New India Traders is engaged in disposing off Industrial Waste.

Hygienic Flooring

Polyurea and Epoxy Flooring will be introduced in train toilets. According to Gita Krishnan, Assistant Personnel Officer, Matunga Workshop, “Epoxy flooring is sturdier than Poly Vinyl Flooring since Ply vinyl florring generally gets peeled off and dust gets trapped underneath. As far as interior maintenance of coaches are concerned, magazine pockets have been done away with in sleeper (Non-AC coaches) to avoid the possibility of anti-social elements storing or hiding explosives in these pockets. This item is provided in AC coaches only at present.”

On Board housekeeping services (OBHS) was introduced a few years back to address the problems of en-route cleaning of toilets and coaches and also to ensure cleanliness of trains during run and thus maintain coaches on timely basis especially primary trains like Punjab Mail and Vidarbha Expressto name a few. “CR has also outsource mechanized cleaning activity because maintenance and cleaning of all the coaches is a big job. This kind of cleaning ensures that coaches are subjected to 100% cleaning including high pressure water jet cleaning of toilets and interior coaches, especially every nook and corner of the coach where dust exists.” Gita Krishnan added. OBHS service is currently being implemented at Wadi Bunder, Mazgaon, Dadar and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT).

Periodical Over Hauling

Major repairs of the sick units like carriages, coaches, express and local trains are being done at the Matunga Workshop. Long term maintenance and overhauling at respective shops involve stitching, basic fitting and under gear maintenance of Electric Multiple Units (EMU). The workshop turns out 80 coaches per month and plans to increase the output by 85 coaches per month.

Basic disinfestation to eliminate cockroaches/rodents is done in all coaches after Periodical Over Hauling (POH) by the concerned depot where train is maintained before it is attached to any train. As per the schedule, AC coaches are disinfested once in 15 days and Non- AC coaches once in 22-25 days. Nashik based S & R Pest Control is looking after the Pest Management currently.

Central Railways has five coaching depots – Wadi Bunder, LTT, Victoria Terminus (VT), Mazgaon and Dadar from where all primary long distance trains originate.