KOZHIKODE: Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram (16603) Maveli Express has been adjudged as the best maintained train in the Southern Railway (SR) at the 63rd Railway week celebration held in Chennai. This was the second time for the train, as it had come first in 2016 also. The coaching depot in Mangaluru is maintaining it. Train maintenance was decided on parameters such as cleanliness, passenger amenities, electrical clippings and internal and external appearance of the train.
“Each rack of Maveli express has been entrusted with a senior section engineer for maintenance. It has been provided with more care after a team of higher railway officials selected Maveli as the nominee from Palakkad division,” said Haridas C.P, depot incharge of coaching in Mangaluru. The train is maintained for six hours at Mangaluru which is the lone centre in the division with a pit line facility. “Toilet facilities, light, fan, bottle holder, mobile charger plugs and everything comes under passenger amenities,” elaborated Mr Haridas.
The thrust was given on painting and erasing the graffiti inside the toilets. Nine long distant trains are being maintained in Mangaluru and officials point out that if a second pit line is sanctioned, the maintenance would become more effective. Last time, Ernad express was the nominee from the division and bagged the second position. Palakkad division has won a total of five awards at the railway week celebrations.
