ProUI

One pair of new EMU local train will be introduced in the Chennai Beach – Velacherry – Chennai Beach (MRTS) section with effect from 22.07.2013.

Train No.41131 EMU local will leave Chennai Beach at 21.00 hrs. and arrive Velacherry at 21.45 hrs.

Train No.41132 EMU local will leave Velacherry at 21.50 hrs. and arrive Chennai Beach at 22.35 hrs.

Improved security in Thiruvananthapuram Central and Ernakulam Junction

The Integrated Security System (ISS) will be implemented in Thiruvananthapuram Central and Ernakulam Junction stations soon as part of Railways’ efforts to step up security, ensure safety of the travelling public, and avert terror attacks.

The state-of-the-art security system will be installed in the two railway stations close on the heels of the commissioning of the ISS in the Kozhikode station. The system is being implemented in 195 stations across the country at a cost of Rs.344.31 crore, and will be managed by the elite Railway Protection Force (RPF).

The ISS will be set up at a cost of Rs.3.3 crore in Thiruvananthapuram and Rs.3.5 crore in Ernakulam.

Under the system, a centralised control room like the modern city police control room will be set up in the retiring room on the first floor of the Central station building to monitor the movement of all those who enter the platforms, yards, circulating area, and station premises through a network of surveillance cameras.

“The work on the control room began on Tuesday, and we hope to commission the ISS here in three months,” Rajnish Kumar Tripathi, Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF, told The Hindu.

The ISS comprises a closed-circuit television surveillance system (CCTV), access control, personal and baggage screening system, explosive detection and disposal system, and system integration.

High-tech gadgets, including vehicle scanners to detect explosive substances in vehicles entering and leaving the station and multi-zone doorframe metal detectors to scan those entering the station, have been proposed.

Vehicle scanners will be installed at the main and second entry in Thiruvananthapuram after modifying the circulating area. In addition, two baggage scanners at the two entries and a parcel scanner that can even detect contraband and explosives will be installed at the parcel office.

The current baggage scanner in the station will be shifted to another station. As many as 79 cameras will be installed on the platform and station premises. Video analytical software and facial recognition will enable the RPF to closely monitor the railway premises.

In Ernakulam Junction, the control room will function from the GCDA building at the second entry to the station. The installation of 67 cameras and the wiring have been completed. Two baggage scanners, two vehicle scanners, and a parcel scanner will be set up. All the work will be completed in a month.

The Divisional Security Commissioner said all unmanned multi-entry and exit points at stations, a major security threat, would be plugged. When the work was over, the RPF personnel would be provided on-job training to take care of the ISS.

Thiruvananthapuram Central and Ernakulam Junction are among the 202 railway stations that have been classified ‘important and sensitive’ on the rail network.

One pair of new EMU local train will be introduced in the Chennai Beach – Velacherry – Chennai Beach (MRTS) section with effect from 22.07.2013.

Train No.41131 EMU local will leave Chennai Beach at 21.00 hrs. and arrive Velacherry at 21.45 hrs.

Train No.41132 EMU local will leave Velacherry at 21.50 hrs. and arrive Chennai Beach at 22.35 hrs.

Tollygaunge metro station (Mahanayak Uttam Kumar) is going to get its 3rd island platform in 2014.

पलपल इंडिया संवाददाता, जबलपुर. रेल आरक्षण केंद्रों में पदस्थ कर्मचारियों के मोबाइल प्रतिबिंधित किए जाने पर कर्मचारियों में व्यापक प्रतिक्रिया है. आरक्षण में दलाली प्रथा बंद करने के लिए लिए गए इस निर्णय का मजदूर संघ ने विरोध किया है. जबलपुर में पिछले दिनों यह आदेश डीआरएम की ओर से जारी हुआ जिसमें सभी आरक्षण करने वाले कर्मियों को ड्यूटी पर आते ही अपने मोबाइल फोन जमा कराने होंगे जिन्हें वापस जाने उन्हें दे दिया जाएगा.
रेल अधिकारी यात्रियों की सुविधा के लिए इस कारगर मान रहे हैं, माना जा रहा है कि इस नई व्यवस्था से बुकिंग क्लर्क काम के समय किसी से बात नहीं कर सकेंगे जिससे समय की बर्बादी के साथ ही टिकिटों की दलाली पर भी रोक लगेगी. पिछले दिनों रेलवे बोर्ड ने इस आशय के आदेश जारी किए थे जिसके पालन में जबलपुर में भी इसे लागू किया गया है. सभी बुकिंग क्लर्क को अपने मोबाइल मुख्य आरक्षण अधिकारी के पास जमा कराने का निर्देश दिया गया है.

इस नई व्यवस्था का रेल मजदूर संघ ने विरोध किया है, संघ के मंडल सचिव एस.के. वर्मा का कहना है कि यदि मोबाइल फोन पर रोक लगानी है तो सभी विभागों में इसे लागू करना चाहिए सिर्फ आरक्षण केंद्र में ऐसा करना गलत है. संघ ने इसे तुगलकी फरमान बताते हुए वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों से चर्चा करने की तैयारी की है यदि उसमें कोई हल नहीं निकलता तो आंदोलन करने की बात की जा रही है.
इनका कहना है
टिकिटों की दलाली को रोकने रेलवे बोर्ड ने सख्त रवैया अपनाया है, तत्काल टिकिट के नियमों को बदलने के साथ ही अब कर्मचारियों की ओर से इसकी संभावना खत्म करने बुकिंग र्क्लक पर ध्यान केंद्रित किया गया है. ऐसे प्रकरण भी सामने आए हैं कि दलाल मोबाइल फोन के माध्यम से कर्मचारियों से बात कर टिकिट बुक कराते हैं इस संभावना को समाप्त करने के लिए यह निर्णय लिया गया है. इससे समय की बचत के साथ ही काम में पारदर्शिता आएगी तथा यात्रियों को लाभ मिलेगा. जबलपुर डिवीजन में इस आदेश का सख्ती से लागू किया गया है जो कर्मचारी इसका पालन नहीं करेगा उस पर कार्रवाई की जाएगी.
राजेश शर्मा, वरिष्ठ वाणिज्य प्रबंधक
जबलपुर रेल मंडल

South Central Railway published Booklet Model Train details, the name of the Booklet is.............

At one of its recent meetings, the parliamentary committee on railways recommended that “keeping in view the burden on the existing infrastructure of railways, the introduction of double-decker trains will help to increase two-fold the existing passenger capacity of the Indian Railways”.

Recent years have witnessed a spurt in the growth of passenger traffic in railways. The number of non-suburban originating passengers has almost doubled during the past decade — from 1,972 million (2000-01) to 3,847 million (2011-12). This can be attributed to an increase in the number of passenger trains, particularly medium and long-distance, increase in the frequency of many trains, and strengthening of several trains to 24 coach rakes, leading to an overall increase in availability of seats and berths. The increase in the number of passengers has also led to a rise in the occupancy ratios of the trains.

However, while the occupancy in second class ordinary (which accounts for the bulk of passenger traffic) has far exceeded the availability of seats, it has not been so for the higher classes. For instance, for 2AC chair car — used predominantly for short-distance inter-city services — the average occupancy ratio during 2010-11 was only around 75 per cent. Notwithstanding this, it has been decided to introduce AC double-decker train services on Howrah-Dhanbad, Chennai-Bangalore, Delhi-Jaipur, Mumbai-Ahmedabad and Bhopal-Indore sections. Overtly, this has been justified to meet the heavy rush on the corridors, and to provide AC travel at lower cost, because of higher seating capacity (128 passengers compared to 78 in say, a Shatabdi chair car) of the bi-level coaches.

Already, superfast trains like the Shatabdi are running on some of the sections selected for AC double-decker services, and, therefore, by adding double-deckers on these routes the occupancy ratios of existing superfast services and the new double-deckers might result in a sub-optimal utilisation for both. No statistics on route-wise passenger flows are officially available to arrive at any definite conclusion, but not long ago, in a reply to the Lok Sabha, the railway ministry had said “an analysis of the utilisation of these trains for the period April 2012 to October 2012 has revealed that barring one pair of train, i.e. Howrah-Dhanbad AC Express, the occupancy of all the trains is quite good”. It remains uncertain, therefore, to what extent the introduction of these trains has really helped, or will help, mitigate the problem of overcrowding on routes.

Historically, double-decker trains are not a new phenomenon for Indian Railways. In the eighties, non-AC double-decker coaches were being used on Sinhagad Express between Bombay and Pune. Due to public opposition, they were withdrawn. Then the same coaches were tried on Venad Express between Trivandrum and Ernakulam. Here also due to public opposition, they had to be taken off. The Flying Ranee between Mumbai and Pune, however, still continues to run these coaches. The main trouble with the old design was that the lowest level seatings were below platform level. Not only while travelling, even while halting at platforms, due to convection air flow, dust always entered the lowest level in abundance. It was mainly to overcome this drawback that it was decided to introduce AC double-decker trains, and to have them manufactured indigenously.

The newly designed AC double-decker coaches have yet to get the thumbs up from the users.  Commuters on the recently introduced Chennai-Bangalore train complain that cramming 120-plus seats in a tight space leaves them sore after a six-hour journey, provision of only four toilets for a much higher number of passengers in a coach is inadequate, and the quality of food served is far from satisfactory. On the double-decker running between Howrah and Dhanbad, there are complaints that the seats are uncomfortable, push-backs hardly work, and some of the seat locations are very odd. On the Delhi-Jaipur train, commuters have a grudge against low headroom on both the decks — because of the storage compartments (of very little utility to passengers) having been placed above their seats. The upkeep and maintenance of the coaches have also drawn adverse comments.

This leaves one somewhat unsure if railways is fully geared to launch double-deckers on its network on a larger scale, within a predictable time frame. It is also a matter of conjecture if the passenger demand on the routes so far selected is genuinely so overwhelming as to warrant introduction of the bi-level trains. Could it be that Indian Railways is merely driven by a desire to project itself as an entrant in the league of countries that run similar trains on their systems?

Double-decker passenger rolling stock is a good solution to meet the growing demands of traffic on certain over-saturated routes, and can prove to be a good alternative to increasing the number of coaches in a train that will demand an extensive and expensive platform lengthening programme. However, where it requires bridges and tunnels to be lifted or track to be lowered, it could again be expensive. Thus, double-deckers may not be the best option — both for technical and financial reasons — in all cases, nor is their presence an indication of superior technology when compared to the single-level stock. Double-decker trains provide high capacity on an operating system with lower frequencies and longer spacing between stations, but are not considered appropriate for high frequency/frequent stop services, which require high acceleration and short dwell time at stations.

It would be best if the railways take a pause at this stage, assess the financial viability of running double-decker trains, and carry out necessary improvements in the design of coaches to make them more comfortable for the passengers. Let this then be declared only as an experimental phase of the programme, and further investments in manufacture of similar rolling stock be put on hold till the railways is fully satisfied about its viability and acceptability by the public.

Strangely enough, neither the Rakesh Mohan Committee Report on Railways (2001) nor the Pitroda Committee Report on Modernisation of Indian Railways (2012) mentions double-decker passenger service or views it as integral to the future growth of Indian Railways.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Several trains to Kerala from north India have been diverted due to incessant rain and track washout between Sindi and Tuljapur railway stations under the Nagpur railway division. Due to the diversions, trains passing through the western section have been running late.

Authorities said the New Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram Central Kerala Express (Train No. 12626) which left New Delhi on Sunday has been diverted via Itarsi Junction, Khandwa, Bhuasaval Junction, Badnera Junction and Balharshah stations of Western Railway. Due to diversion, train will arrive late at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station by a few hours.

Also, the Gorakhpur-Thiruvananthapuram Central Express (Train No. 12511), which left Gorakhpur on Sunday, was diverted via Itarsi Junction, Khandwa, Bhuasaval Junction, Badnera Junction and Balharshah stations of Western Railway.

At the same time, Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division authorities have informed that the Thiruvananthapuram - Korba Express (Train No. 16328) scheduled to leave Thiruvananthapurma Central at 5.45am on Monday has been rescheduled to leave Thiruvananthapuram Central at 11.30 am on the same day due to late running of the pairing train. The time of departure was rescheduled as per the direction from the Southern Railway authorities.

At one of its recent meetings, the parliamentary committee on railways recommended that “keeping in view the burden on the existing infrastructure of railways, the introduction of double-decker trains will help to increase two-fold the existing passenger capacity of the Indian Railways”.

Recent years have witnessed a spurt in the growth of passenger traffic in railways. The number of non-suburban originating passengers has almost doubled during the past decade — from 1,972 million (2000-01) to 3,847 million (2011-12). This can be attributed to an increase in the number of passenger trains, particularly medium and long-distance, increase in the frequency of many trains, and strengthening of several trains to 24 coach rakes, leading to an overall increase in availability of seats and berths. The increase in the number of passengers has also led to a rise in the occupancy ratios of the trains.

However, while the occupancy in second class ordinary (which accounts for the bulk of passenger traffic) has far exceeded the availability of seats, it has not been so for the higher classes. For instance, for 2AC chair car — used predominantly for short-distance inter-city services — the average occupancy ratio during 2010-11 was only around 75 per cent. Notwithstanding this, it has been decided to introduce AC double-decker train services on Howrah-Dhanbad, Chennai-Bangalore, Delhi-Jaipur, Mumbai-Ahmedabad and Bhopal-Indore sections. Overtly, this has been justified to meet the heavy rush on the corridors, and to provide AC travel at lower cost, because of higher seating capacity (128 passengers compared to 78 in say, a Shatabdi chair car) of the bi-level coaches.

Already, superfast trains like the Shatabdi are running on some of the sections selected for AC double-decker services, and, therefore, by adding double-deckers on these routes the occupancy ratios of existing superfast services and the new double-deckers might result in a sub-optimal utilisation for both. No statistics on route-wise passenger flows are officially available to arrive at any definite conclusion, but not long ago, in a reply to the Lok Sabha, the railway ministry had said “an analysis of the utilisation of these trains for the period April 2012 to October 2012 has revealed that barring one pair of train, i.e. Howrah-Dhanbad AC Express, the occupancy of all the trains is quite good”. It remains uncertain, therefore, to what extent the introduction of these trains has really helped, or will help, mitigate the problem of overcrowding on routes.

Historically, double-decker trains are not a new phenomenon for Indian Railways. In the eighties, non-AC double-decker coaches were being used on Sinhagad Express between Bombay and Pune. Due to public opposition, they were withdrawn. Then the same coaches were tried on Venad Express between Trivandrum and Ernakulam. Here also due to public opposition, they had to be taken off. The Flying Ranee between Mumbai and Pune, however, still continues to run these coaches. The main trouble with the old design was that the lowest level seatings were below platform level. Not only while travelling, even while halting at platforms, due to convection air flow, dust always entered the lowest level in abundance. It was mainly to overcome this drawback that it was decided to introduce AC double-decker trains, and to have them manufactured indigenously.

The newly designed AC double-decker coaches have yet to get the thumbs up from the users.  Commuters on the recently introduced Chennai-Bangalore train complain that cramming 120-plus seats in a tight space leaves them sore after a six-hour journey, provision of only four toilets for a much higher number of passengers in a coach is inadequate, and the quality of food served is far from satisfactory. On the double-decker running between Howrah and Dhanbad, there are complaints that the seats are uncomfortable, push-backs hardly work, and some of the seat locations are very odd. On the Delhi-Jaipur train, commuters have a grudge against low headroom on both the decks — because of the storage compartments (of very little utility to passengers) having been placed above their seats. The upkeep and maintenance of the coaches have also drawn adverse comments.

This leaves one somewhat unsure if railways is fully geared to launch double-deckers on its network on a larger scale, within a predictable time frame. It is also a matter of conjecture if the passenger demand on the routes so far selected is genuinely so overwhelming as to warrant introduction of the bi-level trains. Could it be that Indian Railways is merely driven by a desire to project itself as an entrant in the league of countries that run similar trains on their systems?

Double-decker passenger rolling stock is a good solution to meet the growing demands of traffic on certain over-saturated routes, and can prove to be a good alternative to increasing the number of coaches in a train that will demand an extensive and expensive platform lengthening programme. However, where it requires bridges and tunnels to be lifted or track to be lowered, it could again be expensive. Thus, double-deckers may not be the best option — both for technical and financial reasons — in all cases, nor is their presence an indication of superior technology when compared to the single-level stock. Double-decker trains provide high capacity on an operating system with lower frequencies and longer spacing between stations, but are not considered appropriate for high frequency/frequent stop services, which require high acceleration and short dwell time at stations.

It would be best if the railways take a pause at this stage, assess the financial viability of running double-decker trains, and carry out necessary improvements in the design of coaches to make them more comfortable for the passengers. Let this then be declared only as an experimental phase of the programme, and further investments in manufacture of similar rolling stock be put on hold till the railways is fully satisfied about its viability and acceptability by the public.

Strangely enough, neither the Rakesh Mohan Committee Report on Railways (2001) nor the Pitroda Committee Report on Modernisation of Indian Railways (2012) mentions double-decker passenger service or views it as integral to the future growth of Indian Railways.

गुरू पूर्णिमा पर गोवर्घन जाने वाले श्रद्धालुओं की भीड़ को देखते हुए रेल प्रशासन ने तीन दिन के लिए जयपुर-मथुरा के बीच स्पेशल ट्रेन चलाई है। ट्रेन रविवार से शुरू हो गई और मंगलवार तक चलेगी। इससे गोवर्घन जाने वाले श्रद्धालुओं को राहत मिलेगी। बांदीकुई के रास्ते ट्रेन से बड़ी संख्या में श्रद्धालु गुरू पूर्णिमा पर गोवर्घन जाते हैं।

इससे मथुरा जाने वाली शटल में लोगों को पैर रखने तक की जगह नहीं मिल पाती। जयपुर से मथुरा के बीच स्पेशल टे्रन जयपुर जंक्शन से दोपहर 13.35 (1.35) बजे चलकर बांदीकुई शाम 03.03 PM बजे पहंुचेगी और पांच मिनट ठहरने के बाद मथुरा रवाना होगी। यह ट्रेन सुबह बांदीकुई स्टेशन पर 08.45 AM  बजे पहंुचेगी। इसमें पन्द्रह कोच हैं।