ProUI

Hyderabad: Indian Railways on Saturday, showcased rare photographs from its archives at the Railway Photographic Exhibition inaugurated at the Salar Jung Museum.    The photo exhibition on 160 years of Indian Railways showcases facets of railway infrastructure and operations.    Among the exhibits were older photographs of the Ranchi Railway Station, random photographs of the different sorts of steam engines and trains, locomotives, baggage carriages, railway architecture, bridges and tunnels.   Also rare photographs capturing the legendary Bhagat Singh at the Lahore Railway station, personalities like Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhiji and Lal Bahadur Shashtri at railway stations are exhibited.   A photo of the Nizam of Hyderabad at the erstwhile Hyderabad Deccan Station is also on display.    “The growth of Railways shows the growth of nation. This exhibition will be interesting to the viewers as it enables them to have a vivid glimpse of how the railways evolved during the past 100 years,” said GM of SCR D.P. Pande.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chaired a meeting on the progress of infrastructure development in the north-eastern region.Among those present at the meeting were finance minister, civil aviation minister, railway minister, minister for road transport and highways, telecom minister, minister for power, minister for DONER and the deputy chairman of the planning commission.Railway, road, airport, power and telecom projects in the region were reviewed in the meeting. The focus was to speed up implementation of ongoing projects and also to ensure electronic connectivity. The deputy chairman of the planning commission reported that eight states of the region grew at 9.95 percent during the XI plan period, well above the national average of 8 percent. The finance ministry would give an additional ₹400 crore for the completion of the three critical railway projects in the north-east by March 2014.The three projects are the Harmati-Naharlagun project to provide the first rail connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh, the Dudhnoi-Mendipathar project to connect Meghalaya, and the Rangapara-North Lakhimpur project. 

The railway ministry committed that the first trial runs will begin on these lines in January 2014. The finance ministry will also provide up to ₹200 crore for two more projects i.e. the Lumding-Silchar gauge conversion and the Bogibeel Bridge. Also, additional funds from the NLCPR would be provided for Intra-State Transmission line networks in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim

An Empowered Committee will be set up to monitor progress on all infrastructure projects in the region. 

The prime minister also directed the Planning Commission to call a meeting of all the chief ministers of the north-eastern states to improve inter-state coordination for speedy completion of the infrastructure projects.

Heavy rainfall and floods has washed away the railway track between Sindi and Tuljapur stations of Nagpur Division of Western Railway. Trains on this route have been diverted.Train No 12626, New Delhi–Thiruvananthapuram Central Kerala Express, which left New Delhi on July 19, has been diverted via Itarsi Junction, Khandwa, Bhuasaval Junction, Badnera Junction and Balharshah station of Western Railway. Train No 12511 Gorakhpur–Thiruvananthapuram Central Express, which left Gorakhpur on July 19, has been diverted via Itarsi Junction, Khandwa, Bhuasaval Junction, Badnera Junction and Balharshah station.Train No 16688, Jammu Tawi–Mangalore Central Navyug Express, which left Jammu Tawi on July 18, has been diverted via Itarsi Junction, Khandwa, BhuasavalJunction, Badnera Junction and Balharshah station.Train No 12644, Nizamuddin–Thiruvananthapuram Central Express, which left Nizamuddin on July 19, has been diverted via Nagpur, Vishakhapatnam, Vijayawada Junction and Chennai Central.

Alappuzha: Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, K.C.Venugopal said that all rail level crossings passing through the Alappuzha Parliamentary constituency would be manned soon.Talking to reporters here on Saturday, after chairing a meeting of railway authorities, Venugopal said that 101level crossings out of a total of 103 in the constituency had already been manned.“There are only two left and that too will be manned shortly. Underpasses will be constructed at ten level crossings. When that happens this will turn into a constituency with fully manned rail level crossings,” he said.Venugopal said that steps for acquiring the land for the rail wagon factory promised in the 2011 Union Railway budget would begin soon. The Railway authorities would hand over the letter related to land acquisition on Monday. “Land acquisition will begin urgently,” he said.

The Minister said that the State PWD officials told the meeting that the approach road to Alappuzha railway station at a cost of Rs 23 lakh and the one to Ambalappuzha railway station at a cost of Rs 13 lakh had been completed.The works of approach roads at a cost of Rs 18 lakh for Kayamkulam, Rs 25 lakh for Thuravoor and Rs 19 lakh for Karunagappally had started. The VIP lounge works at Alappuzha station had been completed, he added.

Of the works for the doubling of the railway line from Harippad to Ambalappuzha, and the modernisation of the Ambalappuzha railway station would be taken up initially. The Railway authorities in the State had sought more funds for platform extension in Ambalappuzha railway station.

The Minister said that the Railways had come up with the drawings of the Rail Over Bridge (ROB) in Ezhuppunna and similar works for the ROB at Krishnapuram would begin soon. The tender processes had been completed for the works of setting up escalators at Alappuzha Railway Station. “The works will start in two weeks,” he said.

The Minister instructed officials to look into providing a roof for the platforms at Kayamkulam railway station and the difficulties that passengers undergo because of only one platform at Ambalappuzha.

Railway Thiruvananthapuram Division Railway Manager, Rajesh Agrawal, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Denni Thomas, District collector, N.Padmakumar and Additional Divisional Magistrate (ADM), K.P. Thampy were also present at the meeting.

NEW DELHI: Railways has finally selected two firms for installing the much awaited Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), the safety mechanism to prevent accidents, in the 200-km-long Vikarabad-Bidar section as a pilot project.Medha Servo and Kernex MicrosystemsBSE 0.14 % were selected among six contenders, including a few multinational companies, by the Research, Designs and Standard Organisation (RDSO) of the Indian Railways on behalf of the Railway Board, a senior Railway Ministry official said.The pilot project, which aims at preventing accidents, is estimated to cost about Rs 18 crore while the trials on Vikarabad-Bidar section in South Central zone are expected to be completed in about eight months time by February 2014.A safety device designed to prevent train accidents, TCAS is based on a combination of railway signalling data with radio communications, global position, radio frequency identification devices, software and logic.The indigenously developed TCAS is a combination of Train Protection Warning System (TPWS), an European technology which protects trains against signal passing at danger, and Konkan Railway-developed anti-collision device which avoids collision in mid-section."TCAS is developed in RDSO and it is very cost effective for us. While TPWS cost about Rs 70 lakh per km, TCAS is just about Rs 10 lakh," said the official.

Fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), the device would automatically activate the brakes if it detects any problems on the track.

After a successful trial in the South Central zone, TCAS will be deployed all over the country, said the official.

TCAS is equipped to control railway stations, signalling systems and trains including suburban, long-distance and goods trains.

The official further said that whenever TCAS has to bring the train to a halt, it will first reduce it's speed and identify the nearest signal within the range of 200 metres with the help of RFID.

"It will then ensure that the train stops close to this signal."

South Western Railway has augmented Mysore-Bangalore City-Mysore Passenger, Bangalore City-Tumkur-Bangalore City Passenger, Bangalore City-Tumkur-Bangalore City Passenger, Bangalore City-Arsikere-Bangalore City Passenger and Mysore-Bangalore City- Mysore Passenger with two additional general second class coaches with effect from July 21.

Each train will have 18 coaches consisting 16 general second class coaches, one general second class coach-cum-disabled coach and one second class luggage-cum-brake van. In order to clear extra rush in the Bangalore-Mysore Section, Mysore-Bangalore City-Mysore Chamundi Express has been augmented with two additional general second class chair cars with effect from July 21. — Staff Reporter

LUCKNOW: RashtriyaLokDal chief and union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh has advocated inclusion of some more districts in the national capital region (NCR).The party in a statement said Singh had asked the state government to send a proposal to the NCR planning board to include cities like Aligarh, Hathras, Agra, Muzzafarnagar and Shamli in the NCR region. Singh said these districts qualify to be part of NCR region and added that their inclusion in NCR will pave way for pace development in the region. It will expedite building of rapid rail transit system (RRTS), besides other civic projects like sewage, solid waste treatment, drainage and water supply. It will also a give boost to the tourism, education and health sectors in the region.The NCR planning board had given in-principle approval to inclusion of cities within 150 Km from the border of Delhi. It had included some of the districts from Haryana and Rajasthan. UP, however, did not send a proposal for any district, even though Mathura is on the waiting list.

NEW DELHI: Railways has finally selected two firms for installing the much awaited Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), the safety mechanism to prevent accidents, in the 200-km-long Vikarabad-Bidar section as a pilot project.Medha Servo and Kernex MicrosystemsBSE 0.14 % were selected among six contenders, including a few multinational companies, by the Research, Designs and Standard Organisation (RDSO) of the Indian Railways on behalf of the Railway Board, a senior Railway Ministry official said.The pilot project, which aims at preventing accidents, is estimated to cost about Rs 18 crore while the trials on Vikarabad-Bidar section in South Central zone are expected to be completed in about eight months time by February 2014.A safety device designed to prevent train accidents, TCAS is based on a combination of railway signalling data with radio communications, global position, radio frequency identification devices, software and logic.The indigenously developed TCAS is a combination of Train Protection Warning System (TPWS), an European technology which protects trains against signal passing at danger, and Konkan Railway-developed anti-collision device which avoids collision in mid-section."TCAS is developed in RDSO and it is very cost effective for us. While TPWS cost about Rs 70 lakh per km, TCAS is just about Rs 10 lakh," said the official.

Fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), the device would automatically activate the brakes if it detects any problems on the track.

After a successful trial in the South Central zone, TCAS will be deployed all over the country, said the official.

TCAS is equipped to control railway stations, signalling systems and trains including suburban, long-distance and goods trains.

The official further said that whenever TCAS has to bring the train to a halt, it will first reduce it's speed and identify the nearest signal within the range of 200 metres with the help of RFID.

"It will then ensure that the train stops close to this signal."

Mumbai : The Central Railway and the Western Railway by converting the land around stations into ‘pay and park’ lots will not only get rid of the hawkers but also earn a handsome revenue.

The Western Railway (WR) have identified 11 stands for motorcycle, scooters and cars in Mumbai Division; the Railway presently gives the locations adjacent to stations to private contractors and earns crores of rupees as licence fees from them.
Dadar, Bhayander, Borivali, and Bandra Terminus (BDTS) stations are being targeted by the WR for the pay and park facility.
WR officials say that these pay and park stands would accommodate up to 2,000 vehicles and Mumbai Division of WR can easily earn over Rs 30 lakh per annum.
BDTS has a major encroachment by hawkers below the flyover.
According to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Mumbai Division of WR, Ity Pandy, “Many passengers have to come to the stations on their own vehicles and they need accommodation for that. No need to say, this idea has benefited everyone.”
WR did a survey to fix the rate and also compared its rate with BMC’s parking rate. WR earned Rs 3.03 crore last fiscal in this head.
CR has identified Ghatkopar, Kurla, Kanjurmarg, Panvel, Tilak Nagar, Mulund, Parel, Nahur, Kopar, Neral stations and already renewed running contracts.
Currently CR has given 25 car-parking locations in Mumbai Division near railway stations, which have emerged as a decent tool for revenue generation.
Thane and LTT tops in the list of revenue generation from pay and parking.
Chief Public Relations Officer, Atul Rane, said, “Undoubtedly, traffic is going upward day by day and assured parking is the need of the hour. So, we have short-listed a few potential stations and we removed and cleared the existing utilities there.”

LUCKNOW: RashtriyaLokDal chief and union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh has advocated inclusion of some more districts in the national capital region (NCR).The party in a statement said Singh had asked the state government to send a proposal to the NCR planning board to include cities like Aligarh, Hathras, Agra, Muzzafarnagar and Shamli in the NCR region. Singh said these districts qualify to be part of NCR region and added that their inclusion in NCR will pave way for pace development in the region. It will expedite building of rapid rail transit system (RRTS), besides other civic projects like sewage, solid waste treatment, drainage and water supply. It will also a give boost to the tourism, education and health sectors in the region.The NCR planning board had given in-principle approval to inclusion of cities within 150 Km from the border of Delhi. It had included some of the districts from Haryana and Rajasthan. UP, however, did not send a proposal for any district, even though Mathura is on the waiting list.