ProUI

Dehradun:
Kathgodam Express hit a Tanakpur depot bus at the bypass railway crossing in the wee hours today. However, no one was injured in the accident.The train was moving towards Dehradun when it hit the bus that was on its way to Tanakpur from the ISBT, Dehradun, at 4.30 am. There were 20 persons in the bus, including the driver and the conductor, at the time of the accident.According to information, Kathgodam Express had to make a halt 200 m before the railway crossing in the morning as its driver did not get green signal from the flag man at the railway crossing gates.When the driver enquired about it, he found that the flag man was sleeping and he forgot to flash the green signal and close the gates.Later, he flashed the green signal and the train started moving. However, the train driver spotted that the railway crossing gate has not been closed and a bus was moving towards the crossing.On the other hand, the flag man claimed that he did not get any information about the train’s arrival from the control room.In charge, bypass police post, Arvind Kumar said, “After spotting the bus, the train driver applied the emergency brakes, but could not stop the train from hitting the rear portion of the bus.”Pradeep Chauhan, in charge, government railway police station, Dehradun, said, “Luckily, all passengers escaped unhurt.”

He said Railway Protection Force officials also reached the spot, who are now investigating the case.

Senior Section Engineer (Railways) SP Singh said, “The report of the preliminary investigation has been sent to the railway division and action will be taken against whosoever found guilty.”

Guntur (AP): Anti-Telangana activists on Sunday held protests on railway tracks here delaying at least two long-distance trains, police said.

Seshadri Express and Janmabhumi Express were delayed for at least two hours due to the agitation which was part of the ongoing protests in Seemandhra region against Centre's decision to carve out separate Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh.

Interestingly, Andhra Pradesh DGP V Dinesh Reddy on Thursday warned Samaikyandhra agitators of stringent action if they went ahead with their proposed rail roko agitation in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

The agitators squatted on the railway track and raised slogans demanding resignations of public representatives and ministers hailing from Seemandhra regions to bring pressure on Congress government at Centre to rescind its decision on creation of Telangana.

They relented only after passengers from the held up trains requested them.

Former Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Dr Umareddi Venkateswarlu, who recently joined YSR Congress, alleged that Congress president Sonia Gandhi allowed bifurcation of state with an ulterior motive to consolidate Congress base in the separate state.

He was speaking at YSR Congress satyagraha camp here.

SANGRUR: Sangrur MP Vijay Indersingla on Sunday early morning flagged off a passenger train at Dhuri railway station for Bathinda. The passenger train will pass through Barnala, Tapa, Rampura to reach Bathinda in 2.25 hours.

Vijay Inder said after being elected MP from the Sangrur parliamentary constituency, I had consistently raised the demand for Introduction of new trains services, extension and increase in frequency of existing services.

Train no. 54765 Dhuri- Bhatinda passenger train would start from Dhuri daily at 4.00am and reach Bathinda at 06.25 am via Barnala,Tapa, Rampura Phul. On its return journey, the train no. 54746 would start at 7.35 pm and reach Dhuri at 10.15pm.

Palampur:
Train services in the Kangra valley, on the Pathankot-Joginder Nagar 120-km rail track, remained suspended for the second day today following heavy landslides at different points between Guler and Kangra. Several retaining walls on the track have also developed cracks.Official sources today said heavy rain and flash floods in the past two days had caused extensive damage to the rail track at many points between Ranital, Koparlahar and Kangra, forcing railway authorities to cancel many trains on this route.The Railways have managed to run four trains between Pathankot and Guler section, but beyond Guler, the rail track is yet to be repaired.Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers, particularly daily commuters, are the worst hit as no train is plying regularly on this route for the past one month. Residents of Palampur, Baijnath, Paprola, Kangra, Nagrota Bagwan and Joginder Nagar have been facing inconvenience in the absence of train services.The British had laid down the Kangra valley narrow gauge railway line in 1932, linking all important and religious towns of Kangra and Mandi districts.Unfortunately, the Indian Railways have not added even a single brick to this track in the past 79 years. With a manifold increase in the population and increase in the tourist traffic to the Kangra valley in the past 25 years, the Railways have failed to come up to the expectations of local people.

The same century-old and outdated engines and coaches are still plying on this track.

Chandigarh : The Railways has decided to run a special weekly express train from Chandigarh to Dibrugarh to clear the passengers’ rush. As per the schedule timetable of the Railways, train number 05904 will depart from the city on every Sunday (from August 11) at 11.15 pm which will reach Dibrugarh at 6.15 am on Wednesday.On every Friday, train number 05903 will depart from Dibrugarh to Chandigarh. The train will depart from Dibrugarh at 8.40 am on every Friday and will reach Chandigarh at 1.10 pm on Sunday.The train will have 17 coaches, including an AC 2-tier, AC 3 tier, nine sleeper class, four general class and two disabled-friendly second class luggage van coaches. The special summer express will halt at 36 stations.

Chandigarh : The Railways has decided to run a special weekly express train from Chandigarh to Dibrugarh to clear the passengers’ rush. As per the schedule timetable of the Railways, train number 05904 will depart from the city on every Sunday (from August 11) at 11.15 pm which will reach Dibrugarh at 6.15 am on Wednesday.On every Friday, train number 05903 will depart from Dibrugarh to Chandigarh. The train will depart from Dibrugarh at 8.40 am on every Friday and will reach Chandigarh at 1.10 pm on Sunday.The train will have 17 coaches, including an AC 2-tier, AC 3 tier, nine sleeper class, four general class and two disabled-friendly second class luggage van coaches. The special summer express will halt at 36 stations.

Dhanbad, Aug. 10: The new chief security commissioner of East Central Railway, A.K. Pathak, is planning to groom Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel under his jurisdiction into a formidable force that can take on Naxalites.

Pathak, who took charge on August 7, said that he was committed to reining in rebel attacks in his zone. “We will co-ordinate with state police, CID and top government officials to ensure that the railways remains safe,” he said.

The senior railway official also said that RPF personnel would be trained like paramilitary troops and bomb disposal squads would be constituted in many areas. This apart, he promised to upgrade RPF gear during his tenure.

“Unless security personnel are equipped with latest gadgets and arms, they cannot fight criminals and Naxalites, who target railways from time to time,” said the chief security commissioner.

He added that tenders to revamp RPF gear were floated in the past, but were never executed.

After taking commando training in 1992 at BSF camp in Hazaribagh, Pathak went on to join engineering services and later moved to RPF.

DHURI (SANGRUR): Sangrur MP, Vijay Inder Singla today flagged off Dhuri- Bathinda Jn. Passenger train at the Dhuri Railway station amid jubilation this morning.Singla said that after being elected MP from the Sangrur parliamentary constituency, he had consistently raised the demand for Introduction of New Trains services, Extension and Increase in frequency of existing services, Demand of stoppages, New Rail connectivity links, ROB’s, Modernization and up-gradations of railway stations for his constituency.Sangrur MP, Vijay Inder Singla in past with his constant efforts has got many trains like Moga/Ludhiana to New Delhi Shatabdi express via Sangrur, Dhuri to Delhi, Sri Ganganagar to Hazoor sabh, Amristar to Ajmer.Train no. 54765 Dhuri- Bhatinda jn. Passenger train would start from Dhuri daily at 4.00am and reach Bathinda Jn. At 06.25 am via Barnala,Tapa, Rampura Phul. On its return journey, the train no. 54746 would start at 7.35 pm and reach Dhuri at 10.15pm. This Train will also connect with Train No.14519/14520 Kisan express which go to Sirsa.“This train is a gift for city residents and an effort to connect Dhuri with other major cities of neighboring states,also it would boost movement of people, business. This train is also beneficial for the Dera Sacha Sauda followers who travel to Sirsa.” Singla Added.

Samaikhyandhra JAC groups are said to be gearing up for a show down with rail-roko agitations on Sunday even as the police issued stern warnings to the protesters against stopping trains. The JAC groups had decided to stop trains as it would have an impact on the movement of people across the country and jolt the UPA Government at the Centre into going for a rethink on the bifurcation of the state. Leaders of Samaikyandhra Student JAC held a meeting with leaders of Telugu Desam, Congress and YSR Congress parties on Saturday and expressed their intention to stop trains as part of their ongoing agitation bifurcation of the state.The police officials ruled out allowing rail-roko agitations. Police Commissioner B. Shivadhar Reddy said that action against would be taken against the protesters as per law. He said Section 144 was clamped at railway stations and tracks under the city limits, banning unlawful assembly of people. Superintendent of Police (Visakha Rural) Vikramjeet Duggal said that trespass into railway stations, obstructing trains and causing inconvenience to passengers and damage to railway property are non-bailable offences.

Rail services were disrupted today on the Jammu-Pathankot route as the ABVP activists stopped a train at the Kathua railway station protesting the recent clashes at Kishtwar district.Demanding sacking of the Minister of State for Home, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo over the Kishtwar incident, the activists of ABVP blocked the railway tracks and raised anti-government slogans, police said.The Ahmedabad-bound train from Jammu was stopped for a brief period by the activists at the Kathua station. However, the rail services were restored when the protesters left the spot.Several political parties, including BJP, have blamed Kitchloo for the clashes between the two communities and demanded a high-level probe by independent authority.Meanwhile, VHP condemned the communal violence in Kishtwar and asked the Centre to take immediate steps in this regard, otherwise it would have "far reaching repercussions"."The killing of five jawans by the militants along the LoC is a well-planned conspiracy and the terrorists were responsible for the communal clashes in Kishtwar yesterday," VHP spokesperson Prakash Sharma said in a statement here."The Centre should take urgent measures to protect the minority communities and should or otherwise the incident would have far reaching repercussions," Sharma added.Clashes between two communities left two people dead and at least 20 injured, several business establishments and vehicles gutted in arson in Kishtwar district where curfew was clamped and Army called in to assist the local administration in maintaining law and order yesterday.