EASTERN RAILWAY CELEBRATED 77th REPUBLIC DAY – GENERAL MANAGER/EASTERN RAILWAY UNFURLED THE NATIONAL FLAG
Kolkata, January 26, 2026
Eastern Railway celebrated the 77th Republic Day with great enthusiasm and patriotic spirit at its Sports Complex, James Long Sarani, Behala, Kolkata on Monday, 26th January 2026. Shri Milind Deouskar, General Manager, Eastern Railway, unfurled the National Flag and received the salute of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) contingent on the occasion.
Addressing railwaymen and their family members, Shri Milind Deouskar appreciated the dedication and sincerity of officers and employees of Eastern Railway in discharging their duties and responsibilities. He emphasized that safety in train operations remains the top priority of Eastern Railway.
Highlighting safety achievements, the General Manager informed that Eastern Railway was conferred the Safety Shield for 2025 by the Hon’ble Minister for Railways at the Ati Vishisht Seva Purashkar Ceremony held recently in New Delhi. He added that the Kavach Train Collision Avoidance System has been successfully commissioned in the Howrah–Burdwan section, while work is at an advanced stage in the Burdwan–Chhota Ambana section. Kavach has also been fitted in 425 locomotives, and 178 locomotives have been provided with Head on Generation (HOG) equipment to save diesel consumption.
During the year, Eastern Railway introduced 26 Mail and Express train services, including 2 Rajdhani Express services, 2 Vande Bharat Sleeper (Full AC) services, 12 Amrit Bharat services, and 10 other Express services. Additionally, 10 passenger train services and 43 suburban services, including 10 AC EMU train services, were commenced. The Hon’ble Prime Minister flagged off the Howrah – Kamakhya – Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper Express on 17.01.2026. To enhance passenger comfort and safety, 20 Mail/Express train services were converted from ICF to LHB coaches, and 22 conventional passenger services were converted to MEMU services.
On the freight front, after achieving the milestone loading of 100 million tonnes in 2024–25, Eastern Railway is making concerted efforts to further improve freight loading in 2025–26. Two Gatishakti Cargo Terminals at Andal and Salanpur were commissioned, which will significantly boost freight operations.
In infrastructure development, 22 Limited Height Subways and 55 platform sheds were constructed across the four divisions of Eastern Railway. Moreover, 46 stations were made fully Divyangjan-friendly during the year. Passenger amenities were further enhanced with the installation of 1,453 CCTV cameras, 16 Train Indication Boards, and 2 Coach Indication Boards at various stations.
In the environmental domain, Eastern Railway received a Certificate of Excellence from the Indian Green Building Council in June 2025. Tree plantation drives resulted in the planting of 10.2 lakh saplings during the year.
The General Manager lauded the commendable work of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in ensuring passenger safety. From April to December 2025, under Operation ‘Nanhe Farishtey’, 1,040 children were rescued and rehabilitated. Under Operation ‘Amanat’, RPF personnel retrieved passengers’ belongings worth ₹4.44 crore and returned them to their rightful owners. Under Mission ‘Jeevan Raksha’, RPF saved the lives of 29 passengers by preventing accidents, suicides, and trespassing incidents. Additionally, under Operation ‘Yatri Suraksha’, 315 criminals involved in passenger-related crimes were arrested.
The year also witnessed outstanding achievements in sports. Eastern Railway athletes secured the Overall Gold Medal in the All India Railway Chess Championship, while Shri GM Diptayan Ghosh won the Gold Medal at the World Railways Chess Championship.
Shri Deouskar also acknowledged the commendable activities of Eastern Railway Women’s Welfare Organisation (ERWWO) for their active participation in cleanliness campaigns, tree plantation, food distribution among the needy, and various social welfare initiatives. He added that all divisions, workshops, and hospitals of Eastern Railway celebrated Republic Day in a befitting manner.
The celebration was attended by Shri Shri Sheelendra Pratap Singh, Additional General Manager and Principal Heads of various Departments, officers and employees of Eastern Railway.
