THE GENERAL MANAGER, OF EASTERN RAILWAY INSPECTED OVER SEALDAH DIVISION
Kolkata, January 11, 2024:
The Gangasagar Mela is a festival held annually at Gangasagar, West Bengal, on Makar Sankranti. It is one of the most renowned melas in India, attracting thousands of pilgrims from across the country. The Eastern Railway has made extensive arrangements to facilitate the pilgrims’ convenience. Shri Milind K Deouskar, General Manager, Eastern Railway inspected Kakdwip and Namkhana stations today (11.1.2024) to assess the various arrangements made by the Eastern Railway. Principal Heads of Departments of Headquarters along with Shri Deepak Nigam, Divisional Railway Manager, Sealdah, and senior officers of Headquarters & Sealdah Division accompanied General Manager during his inspection.
Shri Milind K Deoskar inspected the various facilities arranged for the pilgrims of Gangasagar Mela along with Sri Deepak Nigam, Divisional Railway Manager, Sealdah, like the functioning of “May I Help You” Counters, Booking Counters, Announcements through the Public Address system for the guidance, Safety and Security of the Gangasagar pilgrims, etc. He also reviewed the timing of the additional EMU locals for the Mela purpose. He advised the Divisional Officials to make arrangements for proper guidance to the pilgrims for boarding the trains.
Shri Deoskar advised regular garbage cleaning in and around the station area during Mela. The station area should be kept under strict vigil of the security personnel with CCTV monitoring. Passengers must be guided properly with the state-of-the-art signage board indicating the route to the station and emphasizing on punctual running of trains.
He also reviewed the special arrangements augmented for the convenience of the pilgrims of Gangasagar Mela. Twelve (12) additional EMU local trains are run on the Sealdah/Kolkata-Lakhmikantapur-Namkhana section upto 17 January, 2024 and 3 local trains on the same section have been extended for the Mela purposes, also inspected emergency lighting arrangements made at different stations on the Sealdah South Section especially at Sealdah, Lakshmikantapur, Kakdwip and Namkhana. RPF personnel at Lakshmikantapur, Namkhana, and Kakdwip stations in coordination with the GRP are maintaining supervision over law and order and social harmony.
It is mentioned here that for the convenience of the pilgrims, the Sealdah Division has opened a sufficient number of counters this year at Sealdah, Kakdwip, and Namkhana stations around the clock. Moreover, volunteers of Civil Defense, Scout & Guide of Eastern Railway, and St. John Ambulance Brigade are deployed at those stations in addition to RPF and GRP. Special medical units are functioning at Kakdwip and Namkhana railway stations. The General Manager, of Eastern Railway inspected all the above items meticulously & advised concerned departments to be more vigilant & alert during the mela period.
Shri Milind K Deouskar, General Manager, Eastern Railway conducted window leading inspection of the Sealdah – Namkhana section. During his window-leading inspection, he inspected the fittings of the track, safety gears, overhead equipment, points, cleanliness of the platforms, etc.
