Southern Railway Observes Vigilance Awareness Week

Southern Railway commenced Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 on October 26, with programmes scheduled until November 1, under the theme “Probity for Prosperity”. The initiative aims to promote integrity, transparency and accountability among railway employees, rail users, stakeholders and the general public.
The inaugural function at Southern Railway Headquarters in Chennai was attended by Chief Guest T. Venkatasubramanian, retired Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer of Southern Railway and former Chief Vigilance Officer of Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited and Coal India
Limited.
Southern Railway General Manager U. Subba Rao, Additional General Manager Vipin Kumar, Senior Deputy General Manager and Chief Vigilance Officer V. R. Lenin, Principal Heads of Departments, Divisional Railway Managers of the six divisions and Chief Workshop Managers participated in the event. Several officials joined through video
conferencing.
General Manager U. Subba Rao administered the Integrity Pledge to officers and staff. He emphasised that vigilance should focus on preventing corruption through robust systems, simplified procedures, effective internal controls and transparency, rather than merely detecting wrongdoing or initiating disciplinary action.
He stressed that integrity was the collective responsibility of every officer and employee, urging them to uphold “Probity in every decision, integrity in every action and prosperity for the nation”.
In his keynote address, T. Venkatasubramanian highlighted the importance of technology, e-hygiene, training and e-Office in strengthening preventive vigilance, efficiency, transparency and accountability. He also shared insights into government contracts, tender publication and post-tender modifications, stressing consistency in official procedures.
The Vigilance Department released the Integrity Bulletin 2026, featuring best practices and case studies, along with three guides: Procedure for Handling Warranty Rejection, Checklist for Civil Engineering Works, and System Improvements and Case Studies – Engineering Department.
Southern Railway will organise seminars, quiz competitions and outreach programmes across its divisions and workshops during the week, Chief Public Relations Officer S. N. Narain said.