Continuing with the sustained focus being given on increasing the freight business carried out by the Railways, as per the directions of the Railway Board, a Business Development Unit (BDU) has been set up at Salem Division (Divisional level) over Southern Railway. Similar units have been set up in all Divisions over Southern Railway. The focus of these units is to double the freight carried by Railways by 2024, with particular focus in strengthening Railways’ share in existing traffic while at the same time strongly foraying into miscellaneous non-bulk goods traffic.
As part of it, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, Southern Railway approved setting up of a multi disciplinary Business Development unit at the Divisional level comprising Junior Administrative Grade officers from all major relevant fields. Shri M. Harikumar, Senior Divisional Operations Manager (90039 56900), is the convener of the BDU and has Shri E. Harikrishnan, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr. DCM), Smt S. Uma Maheswari, Senior Divisional Finance Manager (Sr. DFM), and Shri S. Mukundan, Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Sr. DME) as its members.
In order to create awareness about the facilities offered by Railways for booking and transporting of various goods, a meeting of traders association was conducted at District Collector Office, Erode on 21.07.2020. The meeting was headed by Shri A. Annadurai, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division along with Shri E. Harikrishnan Senior Divisional Commercial manager, Salem Division and Smt Kavitha, District Revenue Officer, Erode. Members from EEDISSIA, FATIA and other forums attended the meeting. Shri E. Harikrishnan, Sr. DCM, Salem Division briefed the gathering about the various facilities made available by Railways for transporting parcels and various other goods.
