SCR freight loading up
The Hindu
South Central Railway (SCR) has recorded an overall freight loading of 9.5 million tonnes (MT) in August compared to the loading of 6.3 MT during the same time last year, which is 51% higher, accordin
South Central Railway (SCR) has recorded an overall freight loading of 9.5 million tonnes (MT) in August compared to the loading of 6.3 MT during the same time last year, which is 51% higher, according to senior officials on Sunday. The growth rebound in freight loading is seen with all commodities witnessing higher loading levels with cement loading by 84% to 2.93 MT as against 1.59 MT last year. Similar trends were also witnessed in other commodities as well with 72% growth in loading of coal (4.23 MT Vs 2.46 MT ) and 96% growth in loading of container traffic (0.188 MT Vs 0.096 MT). In addition, maintaining the average speed of the freight trains consistently at around 50 kmph and increasing the supply of wagons to more than 4,700 per day has facilitated the improvement in freight loading. The various policy initiatives for the cement sector introduced by the Railways from time to time and the constant efforts by business development units have all led to the increase in freight movement, said SCR general manager Gajanan Mallya.Several principals of government and private schools in Delhi on Tuesday said the Directorate of Education (DoE) circular from a day earlier, directing schools to conduct classes in ‘hybrid’ mode, had caused confusion regarding day-to-day operations as they did not know how many students would return to school from Wednesday and how would teachers instruct in two modes — online and in person — at once. The DoE circular on Monday had also stated that the option to “exercise online mode of education, wherever available, shall vest with the students and their guardians”. Several schoolteachers also expressed confusion regarding the DoE order. A government schoolteacher said he was unsure of how to cope with the resumption of physical classes, given that the order directing government offices to ensure that 50% of the employees work from home is still in place. On Monday, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) had, on the orders of the Supreme Court, directed schools in Delhi-NCR to shift classes to the hybrid mode, following which the DoE had issued the circular. The court had urged the Centre’s pollution watchdog to consider restarting physical classes due to many students missing out on the mid-day meals and lacking the necessary means to attend classes online. The CAQM had, on November 20, asked schools in Delhi-NCR to shift to the online mode of teaching.