ProUI

MUMBAI: The railways cannot claim ignorance about incidents of people falling off trains, the Bombay high court said last week as it ordered Rs 4 lakh compensation for the family of one such victim.Twelve years after a 20-year-old, Hussain Bin, died after tumbling off a train, Justice A P Bhangale directed the South Central Railway to compensate his elderly parents. "The railway administration... has strict liability towards passengers travelling by train. In a given case, the train may stop with a jerk and passengers from crowded compartments may, as a result of falling down, fall prey to an untoward incident. The railways cannot be allowed to plead ignorance about (such an) occurrence," said the judge.The case dates to June 3, 2001, when Hussain was travelling on the Secunderabad-Mukhded Express. The train jerked suddenly and the youngster fell off it. He later succumbed to his injuries. The railways argued that Hussain was not a bona fide passenger and that he was travelling on the footboard. It claimed he died of his own negligence and opposed any compensation.The Railway Claims Tribunal asked South Central Railway to pay Hussain's parents compensation. But the railway challenged the order in HC.The court held that the railways should have proved that Hussain was not a bona fide passenger. His family had referred to a ticket issued to him. "The claimants, in such cases, are often dependents of the deceased and may not have personal knowledge about the untoward incident. The claim is based upon knowledge that the claimants may get from the railways in respect of untoward incidents occurring on its premises," said the judge. "The railways is liable for certain accidents on train or any part of the train carrying passengers despite the fact that there may not be any wrongful act, neglect or default on its part."

Under the Indian Railway Act, the railways is liable to pay passengers compensation in the event of injury or death due to an untoward incident. The exceptions are suicide and when the incident occurs due to the passenger's own criminal act or when he or she is intoxicated or insane.

East Coast Railway (ECoR) has reduced the popular Visakhapatnam – Mumbai LTT Super Fast (SF) Express into a clone of the popular 11020/11019 Bhubaneswar – CSTM (Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus) Konark Express to meet the demand of the people of Odisha.

Besides reducing the status of the popular 22819/20 Visakhapatnam-Mumbai LTT from SF to ‘ordinary express’, it has revised the timings from Visakhapatnam to make it trail behind the Konark Express, on the plea that there was a demand for running of a clone train to Konark from Bhubaneswar. The Operating Department of ECoR Headquarters in Bhubaneswar came out with the startling reply when a passenger sought information under the RTI Act.

“The present timings of Visakhapatnam-LTT SF Express are not only convenient but also very comfortable for both business travellers and regular passengers,” S.V. Iyer, the RTI applicant, wrote in his grievance to the Railway Board. He wondered: “Why will a passenger prefer this train, if Konark Express plies just ahead of it? Why are such blunders being committed again and again?” He sought a study and re-introduction of the popular train in its present timings for the benefit of the people at large.

ECoR contention

The ECoR replied that the Konark Express is over-crowded throughout the year and occupancy of the train is more than 130 per cent in all classes. There has been a demand to run a clone express following 11020/11019, which could not materialise due to maintenance problem at Bhubaneswar. Hence, it has been decided to start a train trailing the Konark Express from Visakhapatnam and it is the only convenient timing to increase the frequency of LTT-Visakhapatnam S/F from bi-weekly to daily.

The contention that Visakhapatnam-LTT can be a clone of Konark Express is wrong, feel those watching the developments. This is because the two trains do not run on the same route and the stoppages are also different. They apprehend that on the plea of a clone, the train would be extended to Bhubaneswar, when the new Bhubaneswar station starts functioning.

ECoR had announced that the Visakhapatnam-LTT will be converted into a daily with effect from September 10. But, even after that date, the train is being shown as a bi-weekly with a new number and timings on the official website. What has happened to the proposal to convert it into a daily?

The police fired in the air today as satellite dishes of the All India Radio were set ablaze here in Karbi Anglong district amidst large-scale arson and escalating violence over the demand for a separate state carved out of two Assam districts on the lines of Telangana.

The agitators defied indefinite curfew here and set on fire the satellite dishes of the AIR station halting broadcast and relay and also torched an 'Assam type' wooden waiting room belonging to the radio station, official sources said.

The police fired in the air near the radio station to disperse the agitators, the sources said.

Buildings of the Public Works Department, Forest and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan offices, constructed of wood, were also set ablaze across the district, the sources said.

The agitators ransacked the office of the Assam Sahitya Sabha here and damaged property and books, they said.

A portion of the railway tracks of the Diphu-Dimapur line was removed at a place between Doldoli and Dhansiri, the sources said.

A 22-year-old college student, Rahul Signa, who was injured in police firing, when he was locking up his father's shop after violence broke out yesterday, died of his injuries late last night, the sources said.

The agitators belonged to the Karbi Students Association, Karbi Riso Adorba, NSUI and other organisations.

With para-military forces on patrol, the district administration had imposed indefinite curfew and called in the Army to assist yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Hills State Democratic Party has called a 100-hour bandh in the two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao from August 5 to reinforce the demand for a separate Karbi Anglong state.

MUMBAI: The railways cannot claim ignorance about incidents of people falling off trains, the Bombay high court said last week as it ordered Rs 4 lakh compensation for the family of one such victim.Twelve years after a 20-year-old, Hussain Bin, died after tumbling off a train, Justice A P Bhangale directed the South Central Railway to compensate his elderly parents. "The railway administration... has strict liability towards passengers travelling by train. In a given case, the train may stop with a jerk and passengers from crowded compartments may, as a result of falling down, fall prey to an untoward incident. The railways cannot be allowed to plead ignorance about (such an) occurrence," said the judge.The case dates to June 3, 2001, when Hussain was travelling on the Secunderabad-Mukhded Express. The train jerked suddenly and the youngster fell off it. He later succumbed to his injuries. The railways argued that Hussain was not a bona fide passenger and that he was travelling on the footboard. It claimed he died of his own negligence and opposed any compensation.The Railway Claims Tribunal asked South Central Railway to pay Hussain's parents compensation. But the railway challenged the order in HC.The court held that the railways should have proved that Hussain was not a bona fide passenger. His family had referred to a ticket issued to him. "The claimants, in such cases, are often dependents of the deceased and may not have personal knowledge about the untoward incident. The claim is based upon knowledge that the claimants may get from the railways in respect of untoward incidents occurring on its premises," said the judge. "The railways is liable for certain accidents on train or any part of the train carrying passengers despite the fact that there may not be any wrongful act, neglect or default on its part."

Under the Indian Railway Act, the railways is liable to pay passengers compensation in the event of injury or death due to an untoward incident. The exceptions are suicide and when the incident occurs due to the passenger's own criminal act or when he or she is intoxicated or insane.

01-08-2013
Mumbai
WR INTRODUCES NEW WEEKLY EXPRESS BETWEEN INDORE-YESVANTPUR
..

Western Railway will introduce a new weekly express between Indore and Yesvantpur o­n 4th August, 2013. The regular service of the train will start from 6th August 2013 Ex Yesvantpur and from 11th August, 2013 Ex Indore.

The inaugural run of the train will be run as Train No.09301 Ex Indore o­n 04/08/2013 (Sunday) at 14.15 hrs which will reach Yesvantpur at 06.30 hrs o­n Tuesday.

In its regular run from 11/08/2013 Train No 19301 Indore-Yesvantpur Weekly Express will leave Indore every Sunday at 20.55 hrs to reach Yesvantpur o­n Tuesday at 11.15 hrs.

Similarly, Train No 19302 Yesvantpur-Indore Weekly Express will leave Yesvantpur every Tuesday from 6/08/2013 at 13.30 hrs to reach Indore at 05.15 hrs o­n Thursday.

The train will have 2-Tier AC, 3-Tier AC, Sleeper class and general second class coaches.

The train will halt at Dewas, Ujjain, Maksi, Berchha, Shujalpur, Bairagarh, Bhopal, Habibganj, Itarasi, Betul, Narkher, Chandur Bazar, New Amarawati, Akola Jn., Hingoli, Purna Jn., Huzur Saheb Nanded, Mudhked, Nizamabad, Kamareddi, Malkajgiri, Kacheguda, Mahbubnagar, Gadwal, Kurnool City, Gooty Jn., Dharmavaram Jn. and Yelahanka Jn in both directions.



Booking of Train No. 09301 & Train No.19301 from 03rd August, 2013.



******

01-08-2013
Secunderabad
Permanent Augmentation of Kakinada Town-Sainagar Shirdi-Kakinada Town Tri-Weekly Express with eight additional coaches

South Central Railway will augment Train No. 17206/17205 Kakinada Town – Sainagar Shirdi - Kakinada Town Tri-Weekly Express with eight additional coaches o­n permanent basis.

Accordingly, Train No. 17206/17205 Kakinada Town-Sainagar Shirdi- Kakinada Town Tri-Weekly Express is permanently augmented with one AC II Tier, o­ne AC III Tier, five Sleeper Class and o­ne General Second Class coaches, with effect from  3rd Aug 2013 Ex- Kakinada Town and from 4thAug 2013 Ex-Sainagar Shirdi.

        After augmentation Train No. 17206/17205 Kakinada Town – Sainagar Shirdi - Kakinada Town Tri-Weekly Express will have 21 coaches viz., two AC II Tier, two AC III Tier, eleven Sleeper Class, four General Second Class and two Luggage cum Brake Van Coaches. These additional coaches will made available 470 berths and 80 seats additionally per service.

01-08-2013
Secunderabad
Trains Diverted / Partially Cancelled / Short Terminated / Cancelled
.. .. ..
        In viewof agitation at Dharmavaram Station, South Central Railway will divert / Partially Cancel / Cancel the following trains as detailed below:

I.Trains Diverted:

1)Train No. 11013 Mumbai LTT-Coimbatore Express, departed Mumbai LTT o­n 31stJuly, 2013 is diverted to run via Guntakal, Bellary, Chikajajur and Bangalore.

II.Trains Partially Cancelled:

1)Train No. 57475 Tirupati-Guntakal Passenger which departed Tirupati at 09 20 hrs o­n today i.e., o­n 1st August, 2013 is partially cancelled between Kadiri and Guntakal and will run back as Train No. 57476 from Kadiri to Tirupati.

2)Train No. 57476 Guntakal-Tirupati Passenger which departed Guntakal at 07 00 hrs today i.e., o­n 1st August, 2013 is partially cancelled between Dharmavaram and Tiruapti and will run back as Train No. 57475 from Dharmavaram to Guntakal.

3)Train No. 564504 Vijayawada-Yesvantapur passenger which departed Vijayawada o­n 31stJuly, 2013 is partially cancelled between Anantapur and Yesvantapur and will run back as Train No. 56503 from Anantapur to Vijayawada.

4.Train No. 56503 Yesvantapur-Vijayawada passenger which departed Yesvantapur at 08 00 hrs today i.e., 1st August, 2013 is short terminated at a convenient station o­n South Western Railway.

III.Trains Cancelled:



1)Train No. 57437 Guntakal-Hindupur passenger is cancelled o­n 1st August, 2013.

2)Train No. 57438 Hindupur-Guntakal is cancelled o­n 2nd August, 2013.

3)Train No. 57478 Guntakal-Tirupati passenger is cancelled o­n 1st August, 2013.

          4)  Train No. 57477 Tirupati-Guntakal Passenger is cancelled o­n 1st August, 2013.

The police fired in the air today as satellite dishes of the All India Radio were set ablaze here in Karbi Anglong district amidst large-scale arson and escalating violence over the demand for a separate state carved out of two Assam districts on the lines of Telangana.

The agitators defied indefinite curfew here and set on fire the satellite dishes of the AIR station halting broadcast and relay and also torched an 'Assam type' wooden waiting room belonging to the radio station, official sources said.

The police fired in the air near the radio station to disperse the agitators, the sources said.

Buildings of the Public Works Department, Forest and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan offices, constructed of wood, were also set ablaze across the district, the sources said.

The agitators ransacked the office of the Assam Sahitya Sabha here and damaged property and books, they said.

A portion of the railway tracks of the Diphu-Dimapur line was removed at a place between Doldoli and Dhansiri, the sources said.

A 22-year-old college student, Rahul Signa, who was injured in police firing, when he was locking up his father's shop after violence broke out yesterday, died of his injuries late last night, the sources said.

The agitators belonged to the Karbi Students Association, Karbi Riso Adorba, NSUI and other organisations.

With para-military forces on patrol, the district administration had imposed indefinite curfew and called in the Army to assist yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Hills State Democratic Party has called a 100-hour bandh in the two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao from August 5 to reinforce the demand for a separate Karbi Anglong state.

Team of Management students from Delhi have designed a new android application for Mumbai local train travellers. The App name is Mumbai local navigator. Earlier they have also designed a similar application for Metro users. The team name Tilzmatic Tech, won the annual B-Plan competition, Eureka! organised by the entrepreneurship cell (E-Cell) of IIT-Bombay and also a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.
http://www.100marks.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/navigator.jpg

Features of Mumbai Local Navigator:
1. Detailed Map
2. Fare Calculator
3. Route,Schedule

Team Members: Mehtab Ahluwalia and Vikash Kumar from International Management Institute (IMI)-Delhi

Their metro application allowed users to see the route of Metro stations in Delhi, the source and destination time and even parking areas near the stations. Their metro application was downloaded by two lakh metro commuters.
“After downloading the app, our product will not need internet connection. The size of our application is small as compared to other ones. Also, we are going to include several other features on taxi, autorickshaw, bus fare and routes,” said Vikash Kumar.

Aiming at making railway stations tourist-friendly, the Tourism Ministry has sanctioned about Rs 27 crore for development of amenities at five stations including Amritsar, Rai Barelli and Agra.

The other two stations are Trivandrum and Gaya where work for the beautification as well as development of basic amenities will be taken up jointly with the Railway Ministry, officials said.

Development of facilities at these five stations will be undertaken in association with Railway Ministry, said a senior Tourism Ministry official.

As part of the joint initiative, railways shall make land for the project available free of cost and render all possible assistance for completion of the project on time.

While the central assistance of Rs 10.28 crore is earmarked for Amritsar and Rae Barelli stations, Trivandrum station will get Rs 5.98 cr, Gaya and Agra stations will be given Rs 5.18 cr and Rs 5.05 cr respectively.

Railways will set up a monitoring committee with a member from the Tourism Ministry to monitor physical and financial progress of the projects, the official said.

Tourism Ministry has also undertaken 'Clean India' campaign to keep tourist sites clean and hygienic.

"Last week the campaign was launched at Taj Mahal by Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi and before that Qutab Minar was covered under the campaign. We are going to launch the cleanliness campaign at Varanasi ghat shortly," said the official.

The campaign will cover about 30 important tourist places, including heritage monuments in the first phase.