Railway Thiruvananthapuram division holds month-long transformative cleanliness drive

The campaign, held from September 17 to October 15, covered 103 stations, 74 trains, and 428 offices

The Thiruvananthapuram division of the Southern Railway has spearheaded a cleanliness drive from September 17 to October 15 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The division has brought together all railway stakeholders, organisations, and individuals as part of a massive movement for cleanliness under the Swachhta Hi Seva 2024 campaign followed by Swachhta Pakhwada.

The campaign reached every corner of the division, covering 103 stations, 74 trains, and 428 offices. It was not just about cleaning spaces but also fostering awareness and accountability. As many as 40,505 participants, including 15,505 volunteers of NSS, NCC, Student Police Cadets, other volunteers from schools and colleges, railway staff, and the general public, joined hands to clean 724,749 sq. meters of area, including 508.16 km of tracks, said Manish Thaplyal, divisional railway manager (DRM), Thiruvananthapuram.

The volunteers worked alongside railway staff as part of the initiative. The drive also had a creative flair, with 325 Nukkad Nataks (street plays) and 218 cultural performances on station premises as part of spreading messages about cleanliness. At 30 stations, waste-to-art installations attracted the attention of the public.

Illegal dumping

Under the guidance of Mr. Thaplyal, a three-pronged approach was conceived to tackle the issue of illegal waste dumping. As part of the approach, an area was marked as #CTU (Cleanliness Target Unit) and “before-and-after” boards were displayed at cleaned sites to discourage further dumping. The Railway Protection Force has also penalised 1,283 offenders, collecting fines totalling ₹2,38,850, and counseling 1,718 individuals as part of the drive. The Railways also coordinated with the local municipal bodies to enhance vigilance and streamline their waste management.

The campaign’s reach also went beyond cleaning. As many as 181 pledge-taking meetings, two marathons, five cyclothons, 44 walkathons, and 46 seminars/webinars were organised to raise awareness about cleanliness and sustainability. As many as 30 health camps were organised for cleanliness workers.

“It’s not just about what we have cleaned today, but the message we have sent out—that together, we can make a lasting difference,” said Mr. Thaplyal, while appreciating the efforts of officers, staff, and all the stakeholders in achieving a perceptible change.