The Railways has directed its zones to get rid of all scrap by the end of this fiscal, not only to keep rail premises clean, but also to generate additional revenue from its sale.
According to data from the Railway Ministry, total scrap sales till December 2017 in the current financial year has reached Rs 1,837 crore which is 22 per cent higher than the corresponding sales of Rs 1,503 crore up to December 2016 of the year 2016-17.
"Earnings from sale of scrap not only augments railways' revenue but also helps in keeping tracks, stations, workshops, depots neat and tidy. In this regard the ministry has directed all zonal railway and production units to achieve zero scrap balance by the end of March 2018," a statement read.
General managers of all the zones have been advised to regularly monitor this activity and to intensify supervision at senior officers level to promptly identify scrap and offer it for e-auction.
A majority of scrap materials comprise worn-out rails and track fittings from track renewal/gauge conversion, steel scrap generated during overhaul/repairs of rolling stocks, other non-ferrous and miscellaneous items like padlocks, dustbins and clamps.
In a policy circular last month, the Railway Board had instructed railway divisions to set up stores depots for collecting and disposing of the scrap of the division concerned.
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