ProUI

GUWAHATI, Aug 27 – The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is working to expand the number of Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) facilities in the region, besides initiating some other steps, as part of its effort to make its services accessible to a greater number of people and increase transparency in its operations.
A senior Railway official told The Assam Tribune today that this financial year a target has been set to open 25 new PRS centres and also install 33 additional PRS-cum-UTS system in the NFR region.

He said many towns in Assam and other States in the NFR zone still lack PRS centres and the new centres would be mostly set up at district headquarters which are not connected by rail lines.

Currently, there are 128 PRS, 81 PRS-cum-UTS centres and 334 UTS centres functional under the NFR.

The official said that NFR has fully implemented the ‘e-auction’ system for selling scraps to make the process more transparent.

“Earlier we used to conduct spot auctions for scraps, like discarded tracks, wagons, wheels and other items of which we had no use. However, with implementation of the e-auction system the process has been streamlined and has become more transparent,” he said.

During the first four months of the current fiscal, NFR sold Rs 11 crore worth of scraps. It is noteworthy that NFR’s Stores Department has won the Railway Board’s ‘Sales Management Shield’ for 2012-13 for its implementation of the e-auction system.

The official added that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has in recent months undertaken a series of drives against anti-social elements. During the January-June period of his year, over 80 offenders involved in various offences were nabbed and Railway property worth around Rs 15 lakh recovered from them.

In addition, drives are also being intensified against people involved in trafficking of drugs and contraband substances by trains and a number of such persons have been arrested and illegal items seized, he added.

Multiplicity of authority, absence of a unified law governing urban transport and resistance to change – these are among the several issues facing the road transport system in the National Capital Region, according to a Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Transport, Tourism and Culture. In the report, which was tabled in the Rajya Sabha, the Committee has noted that the creation of NCR has posed newer challenges for a seamless, accessible, safe, affordable and comfortable transport in the region as a large number of non-destined vehicles, commercial and private, pass through Delhi every day to reach other States.The Committee, which examined issues related to regulation and management of public transport system in Delhi after the gruesome gang-rape of a paramedic student in a moving bus on December 16 last has noted that there are as many as 27 agencies and authorities involved in operationalising transport in Delhi. “The bus in which the incident happened was able to move freely throughout the city that night without being noticed or stopped at several barriers put up by the Delhi Police. Subsequent investigations revealed that the bus was plying without the mandatory permit to carry passengers and had been challaned several times in the past, and let off each time. It was mainly due to fragmented authority and lack of coordination between various agencies involved in managing, regulating and implementing transport related Acts and Rules in the National Capital,” the report said.

The absence of a unified law for governing urban transport in the country, the Committee has noted, is a challenge and so is the existing arrangement for enforcing rules. “There is an absence of an effective and integrated formal enforcement mechanism having a shared mandate/authority from all the concerned – NCT Government, State Governments, Union Ministries of Urban Development and Home Affairs and various agencies such as the NDMC, municipal corporations, DDA, DMRC, DTC, Delhi Police etc..,” the report added.

Citing an example of no convergence, the report pointed out that while in Delhi the Union Ministry of Urban Development is concerned with planning, traffic management is with the Delhi Police, which is under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Delhi Government’s Transport Department is responsible for issuing licences and registering vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Acts and Rules. From planning to enforcement, each Ministry/Department performs its duties exclusively without formal coordination between them.

The Committee has recommended the setting up of a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) with jurisdiction over National Capital Region at the earliest. “The Committee finds that an interim solution for the problems in public transport system in the National Capital Region is the proper and planned traffic management, stricter licensing system, integration of bus services with metro and effective utilisation of ring railways in the entire region,” the report said.

The Committee has frowned upon the tendency of different agencies to work in isolation instead of teaming up for sustainable solutions. It said it noticed a “perceptible resistance” on the part of various authorities and to affect any change in the existing control over different aspects of public transport system.

“They appeared to be unwilling to forego their authority, even while each authority is working at cross purposes. There is a lack of clear vision and coordination regarding how the transport network should be designed, developed and implemented. Individual agencies such as the NCT Government, Union Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Home Affairs/Delhi Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), the Indian Railways appear to be making their plans in isolation. As a result, services of different modes do not complement each other,” the report submitted.

The Committee has also called for reviewing the role and performance of the National Capital Region Planning Board in addressing transportation issues and recommended that a Central Motor Vehicle Acts/Rules may be implemented uniformly for the entire NCR in consultation with the State Governments.

Multiplicity of authority, absence of a unified law governing urban transport and resistance to change – these are among the several issues facing the road transport system in the National Capital Region, according to a Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Transport, Tourism and Culture. In the report, which was tabled in the Rajya Sabha, the Committee has noted that the creation of NCR has posed newer challenges for a seamless, accessible, safe, affordable and comfortable transport in the region as a large number of non-destined vehicles, commercial and private, pass through Delhi every day to reach other States.The Committee, which examined issues related to regulation and management of public transport system in Delhi after the gruesome gang-rape of a paramedic student in a moving bus on December 16 last has noted that there are as many as 27 agencies and authorities involved in operationalising transport in Delhi. “The bus in which the incident happened was able to move freely throughout the city that night without being noticed or stopped at several barriers put up by the Delhi Police. Subsequent investigations revealed that the bus was plying without the mandatory permit to carry passengers and had been challaned several times in the past, and let off each time. It was mainly due to fragmented authority and lack of coordination between various agencies involved in managing, regulating and implementing transport related Acts and Rules in the National Capital,” the report said.

The absence of a unified law for governing urban transport in the country, the Committee has noted, is a challenge and so is the existing arrangement for enforcing rules. “There is an absence of an effective and integrated formal enforcement mechanism having a shared mandate/authority from all the concerned – NCT Government, State Governments, Union Ministries of Urban Development and Home Affairs and various agencies such as the NDMC, municipal corporations, DDA, DMRC, DTC, Delhi Police etc..,” the report added.

Citing an example of no convergence, the report pointed out that while in Delhi the Union Ministry of Urban Development is concerned with planning, traffic management is with the Delhi Police, which is under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Delhi Government’s Transport Department is responsible for issuing licences and registering vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Acts and Rules. From planning to enforcement, each Ministry/Department performs its duties exclusively without formal coordination between them.

The Committee has recommended the setting up of a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) with jurisdiction over National Capital Region at the earliest. “The Committee finds that an interim solution for the problems in public transport system in the National Capital Region is the proper and planned traffic management, stricter licensing system, integration of bus services with metro and effective utilisation of ring railways in the entire region,” the report said.

The Committee has frowned upon the tendency of different agencies to work in isolation instead of teaming up for sustainable solutions. It said it noticed a “perceptible resistance” on the part of various authorities and to affect any change in the existing control over different aspects of public transport system.

“They appeared to be unwilling to forego their authority, even while each authority is working at cross purposes. There is a lack of clear vision and coordination regarding how the transport network should be designed, developed and implemented. Individual agencies such as the NCT Government, Union Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Home Affairs/Delhi Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), the Indian Railways appear to be making their plans in isolation. As a result, services of different modes do not complement each other,” the report submitted.

The Committee has also called for reviewing the role and performance of the National Capital Region Planning Board in addressing transportation issues and recommended that a Central Motor Vehicle Acts/Rules may be implemented uniformly for the entire NCR in consultation with the State Governments.

28-08-2013
Secunderabad
..
SCR to Provide 4608 Additional Berths by attaching Additional Sleeper Class Coaches to Certain Express Trains
..
South Central Railway will temporarily augment the following express trains with additional Sleeper Class Coaches to clear the extra rush / waitlisted passengers as detailed below:-

1.Tr.No. 17225 Vijayawada - Hubli Amaravathi Tri Weekly Express will be augmented with two additional Sleeper Class Coaches  on 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, 26thand 28th September, 2013 (Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays)
2.Tr.No. 17226  Hubli - Vijayawada Amaravathi Tri Weekly Express will be augmented with two additional Sleeper Class Coaches Coaches  on 4th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 14th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th,28th and 30th September, 2013 (Mondays,Wednesdays, Saturdays)
3.Tr.No. 17208 Vijayawada - Sai Nagar Shirdi Weekly Express will be augmented with two additional Sleeper Class Coaches o­n 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th September, 2013
4.Tr.No. 17207  Sai Nagar Shirdi - Vijayawada Weekly Express will be augmented with two additional Sleeper Class Coaches o­n 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th September, 2013

          These additional 64 Sleeper Class Coaches will make available 4608 additional Sleeper Class Berths.

28-08-2013
Secunderabad
..
SCR to Provide 4608 Additional Berths by attaching Additional Sleeper Class Coaches to Certain Express Trains
..
South Central Railway will temporarily augment the following express trains with additional Sleeper Class Coaches to clear the extra rush / waitlisted passengers as detailed below:-

1.Tr.No. 17225 Vijayawada - Hubli Amaravathi Tri Weekly Express will be augmented with two additional Sleeper Class Coaches  on 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, 26thand 28th September, 2013 (Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays)
2.Tr.No. 17226  Hubli - Vijayawada Amaravathi Tri Weekly Express will be augmented with two additional Sleeper Class Coaches Coaches  on 4th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 14th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th,28th and 30th September, 2013 (Mondays,Wednesdays, Saturdays)
3.Tr.No. 17208 Vijayawada - Sai Nagar Shirdi Weekly Express will be augmented with two additional Sleeper Class Coaches o­n 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th September, 2013
4.Tr.No. 17207  Sai Nagar Shirdi - Vijayawada Weekly Express will be augmented with two additional Sleeper Class Coaches o­n 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th September, 2013

          These additional 64 Sleeper Class Coaches will make available 4608 additional Sleeper Class Berths.

As announced in last Railway Budget for running of weekly Super Fast Express trains towards New Delhi and Tirupati from Bhubaneswar, Ministry of Railways has decided to introduce Bhubaneswar-New Delhi-Bhubaneswar super fast via Angul, Sambalpur City and Rourkela from 7thSeptember 2013 and Bhubaneswar-Tirupati-Bhubaneswar super fast express from 14th September 2013.22805 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi weekly super fast Express will leave Bhubaneswar at 1245hrs o­n every Saturday w.e.f. 7th September 2013 and will arrive at New Delhi at 2050hrs o­n every Sundays. In the return direction, 22806 New Delhi-Bhubaneswar weekly super fast Express will leave New Delhi at 0700hrs o­n every Monday w.e.f. 9th September 2013 and will arrive at Bhubaneswar at 1630hrs o­n every Tuesday.
This train has o­ne AC First Class, O­ne-AC 2 tier, Four-AC 3 tiers, Eight-Sleeper Classes, Two -Guard cum Luggage Vans and o­ne-Pantry Car in its composition having stoppages at Dhenkanal, Talcher Road, Angul, Rairakhol, Sambalpur City, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Chakradharpur, Muri, Bokaro Steel City, Gomo, Kodarma, Gaya, Mughalsarai, Allahabad and Kanpur Central between Bhubaneswar and New Delhi.
22879 Bhubaneswar-Tirupati weekly super fast Express will leave Bhubaneswar at 1200hrs o­n every Saturday w.e.f. 14th September 2013 and will arrive at Tirupati at 0925hrs o­n every Sundays. In the return direction, 22880 Tirupati-Bhubaneswar weekly super fast Express will leave Tirupati at 1245hrs o­n every Sunday w.e.f. 15th September 2013 and will arrive at Bhubaneswar at 1010hrs o­n every Monday.
This train has O­ne-AC 2 tier, Three-AC 3 tiers, Eleven-Sleeper Classes, Four General Second Class coaches, Two-Guard cum Luggage Vans and o­ne-Pantry Car in its composition having stoppages at Khurda Road, Balugaon, Chatrapur, Brahmapur, Ichhapuram, Srikakulam Road, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Duvvada, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Vijayawada, o­ngole, Nellore, Gudur and Renigunta between Bhubaneswar and Tirupati.

Dhubri, Aug. 27: Railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge has assured the New Moina-guri-Jogighopa Railway Extension Demand Committee of looking into its demands.

The committee’s joint convener, Tazmul Haque, told reporters here today that Kharge gave them a patient hearing when they met him in New Delhi last week and told them that work on the Gauripur-Jogighopa stretch of the new Moinaguri-Jogighopa railway line extension project had been halted because of paucity of funds.

“Kharge, however, assured us that necessary funds would be made available from the Prime Minister’s special package funds kept aside for development of Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast to finish the work,” Haque said.

He said Kharge understood the importance of early completion of the project. Till now, a one-way rail route connects Assam and the Northeast with the rest of the country, but completion of this project will provide an alternative route.

The delegates also met DoNER minister Paban Singh Ghatowar and urged him to pursue the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in consultation with Kharge. Ghatowar, too, assured them that the matter would be taken seriously, Haque said.

Dhubri MP Badruddin Ajmal, one of the delegates, met Singh during the visit and requested him to release funds from his special development package, sources in the committee said.

They said at present the total cost of the project was Rs 2,450 crore of which Rs 1,600 crore had already been spent and another Rs 700 crore was required.

They said they would soon meet NF Railway general manager R.S. Virdi and place their demands for introducing Sampark Kranti Express on Guwahati-Golokganj-New Cooch Behar route, extension of Uttarbanga Express up to Dhubri, Dhubri-Guwahati inter-city train and making the Dhubri-Silghat Rajyarani Express daily which now runs thrice a week besides a stopfor Saraighat Express at Goalpara station.

Multiplicity of authority, absence of a unified law governing urban transport and resistance to change – these are among the several issues facing the road transport system in the National Capital Region, according to a Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Transport, Tourism and Culture. In the report, which was tabled in the Rajya Sabha, the Committee has noted that the creation of NCR has posed newer challenges for a seamless, accessible, safe, affordable and comfortable transport in the region as a large number of non-destined vehicles, commercial and private, pass through Delhi every day to reach other States.The Committee, which examined issues related to regulation and management of public transport system in Delhi after the gruesome gang-rape of a paramedic student in a moving bus on December 16 last has noted that there are as many as 27 agencies and authorities involved in operationalising transport in Delhi. “The bus in which the incident happened was able to move freely throughout the city that night without being noticed or stopped at several barriers put up by the Delhi Police. Subsequent investigations revealed that the bus was plying without the mandatory permit to carry passengers and had been challaned several times in the past, and let off each time. It was mainly due to fragmented authority and lack of coordination between various agencies involved in managing, regulating and implementing transport related Acts and Rules in the National Capital,” the report said.

The absence of a unified law for governing urban transport in the country, the Committee has noted, is a challenge and so is the existing arrangement for enforcing rules. “There is an absence of an effective and integrated formal enforcement mechanism having a shared mandate/authority from all the concerned – NCT Government, State Governments, Union Ministries of Urban Development and Home Affairs and various agencies such as the NDMC, municipal corporations, DDA, DMRC, DTC, Delhi Police etc..,” the report added.

Citing an example of no convergence, the report pointed out that while in Delhi the Union Ministry of Urban Development is concerned with planning, traffic management is with the Delhi Police, which is under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Delhi Government’s Transport Department is responsible for issuing licences and registering vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Acts and Rules. From planning to enforcement, each Ministry/Department performs its duties exclusively without formal coordination between them.

The Committee has recommended the setting up of a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) with jurisdiction over National Capital Region at the earliest. “The Committee finds that an interim solution for the problems in public transport system in the National Capital Region is the proper and planned traffic management, stricter licensing system, integration of bus services with metro and effective utilisation of ring railways in the entire region,” the report said.

The Committee has frowned upon the tendency of different agencies to work in isolation instead of teaming up for sustainable solutions. It said it noticed a “perceptible resistance” on the part of various authorities and to affect any change in the existing control over different aspects of public transport system.

“They appeared to be unwilling to forego their authority, even while each authority is working at cross purposes. There is a lack of clear vision and coordination regarding how the transport network should be designed, developed and implemented. Individual agencies such as the NCT Government, Union Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Home Affairs/Delhi Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), the Indian Railways appear to be making their plans in isolation. As a result, services of different modes do not complement each other,” the report submitted.

The Committee has also called for reviewing the role and performance of the National Capital Region Planning Board in addressing transportation issues and recommended that a Central Motor Vehicle Acts/Rules may be implemented uniformly for the entire NCR in consultation with the State Governments.

Train nos. 16107/16108 Chennai Egmore – Mangalore Central – Chennai (daily) express will be re-numbered as 16859/16860 effective September 1. A press release issued by Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division said the weekly train no. 12653 Thiruchirapally–Mangalore Central Express will be re-numbered as train no. 16857 with effect from September 7, and train no. 12654 Manglore Central–Thiruchirapally Express will be re-numbered as train no. 16858 with effect from September 8. The trains running via Coimbatore Junction will not stop at Podanur. Extension of these trains to Puducherry will be notified later, the release said. Train 12998/12997 Hapa – Tirunelveli – Hapa (Bi-Weekly) Express will be re-numbered as 19578/19577 with effect from November 1 and 4.

South Central Railway will run a pair of special trains between Hyderabad and Kakinada via Guntur to clear the extra passenger rush, senior divisional commercial manager C. Ramakrishna said.Train No.07002 Kakinada Town-Hyderabad Special Express will depart from Kakinada Town at 4 p.m. on August 28 and will arrive at Hyderabad station at 4.45 a.m. the next day.It will reach Guntur at 10.45 p.m. on the same day.In the return direction, train No. 07001 Hyderabad-Kakinada Town Special express will leave from Hyderabad at 10.40 p.m. on August 29 and will arrive at Kakinada at 11.35 a.m. the next day.It will pass through Guntur and will reach here at 4.30 a.m.The trains consist of one AC II Tier, one AC III Tier, ten Sleeper Class, four general Second class and two Second Class cum Luggage Brake Van Coaches.

Reserved accommodation can be had on general, ladies and senior citizen and pregnant woman quotas besides Tatkal.

Bookings are made open on Passenger Reservation System, accessible through Railway Reservation Counters and Internet.